Sakura and the Prince of Flowers
by Angelsaurus
Summary: When Sasuke and Naruto leave her behind for a mission, a desperate Sakura makes a rash decision... One that will dredge up her hidden past and change more futures than just her own... SasuSaku, NaruSaku, LeeSaku
1. Chapter 1

I haven't forgotten about my X story, "The Season of the Witch." And I do plan to finish it. But for certain reasons I have put it on a temporary hiatus. It is mostly because the story is getting very near the end and it's getting really hard to write. It's also because I started writing this Naruto story!

As the title indicates, this story is very Sakura-centric. So if you hate Sakura or are looking for shounen-ai, you should go elsewhere. This story will contain hints of the NaruSakuSasu love triangle as well as some LeeSaku… and probably some other pairings, too. But it is primarily meant to be a drama, not a romance. If you leave comments, please be kind.

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers

By Miss Angel Maxwell

**Chapter 1: "She's Going to Hate Us, You Know"**

"Well, looks like another job well done, boys," Haruno Sakura announced triumphantly, wiping sweat from her sizeable brow with the back of her gloved hand.

"You said it," Naruto agreed with a self-satisfied grin on his face. "That mission might just go down in the history books as Team 7's finest performance!" Their third teammate Uchiha Sasuke rolled his eyes, and the blonde quickly added, "Well, it was definitely our finest performance to date."

Sakura beamed an irrepressible smile towards them. She loved her boys, loved their team; a team that had been broken for so long but was now one and whole again. Sasuke's return nearly two years ago had ushered in a golden age for Team 7, and the happiest time Sakura could remember in her seventeen years of life. Once they were reunited it hadn't taken long for each of the three ninja to achieve the rank of jounin, full-fledged shinobi. Moreover, in the past couple of years, Sakura's two teammates had undergone considerable physical growth and both were now over a foot taller than her, Naruto having about a one-inch lead over Sasuke. It didn't matter. Both were tall, handsome, and immensely talented ninja. Though Sakura's body had filled out in the most feminine way, she remained petite. Rather than resent her body for its lack of size and shear strength, however, she relished it for its speed and grace in combat. Sakura was truly happy, happy with herself, happy with her team, happy with her life. And, as the three of them walked back to Konoha under the orange glow of a setting early-summer sun, she liked to imagine that things would never change.

Passing by the bank of a lazily gurgling stream, Sakura got an idea, which she immediately shared with the guys. "I think I'll go soak my feet, maybe splash some water on my face. That okay with you boys?" Then she flashed them a smile she knew they couldn't say 'no' to, coupled with her most charming wink.

While Sakura splashed merrily in the clear, shallow stream, Sasuke and Naruto opted to sit on the shore on a large rock, dangling their feet in the cool water as they watched their pink-haired teammate frolic. Sasuke's sparkling black eyes and Naruto's blue, fox-like ones were fixed longingly on Sakura, though neither seemed to notice that the other was staring until several minutes had passed in silence. Feeling the awkwardness of the situation, both young men turn cautiously towards each other.

"She sure seems happy," Naruto chuckled nervously, raking his fingers through his straw-colored hair.

"Yeah," Sasuke muttered, nodding vaguely.

The two best friends stared intently at one another for a long minute, both feeling the churning sparks of a slowly growing rivalry that had nothing to do with ninjutsu. Five years ago, when their little team first formed, the situation had been quite different. Sakura had poured all of her romantic energy upon a then disinterested Sasuke, while a somewhat less mature Naruto pined hopelessly after her. Nowadays Miss Haruno had a lot more respect for Sasuke as a teammate and friend, and he had a lot more interest in her as a woman. And while she still seemed to harbor some more-than-platonic feelings for the handsome Uchiha, it was undeniable that she had also grown a lot closer to Uzumaki Naruto while Sasuke was away. Despite their history and the strength of their longstanding friendship, Sasuke and Naruto were both in love with the same woman, and that made them feel increasingly uneasy around each other, and around Sakura.

Just as the boys were feeling they couldn't sit there not saying what was really on their minds any longer, Sakura emerged breezily onto the stream bank. Her rosy hair stuck to her cheeks and dripped water onto her already wet and clinging red blouse, a detail that didn't escape Naruto and Sasuke's attentions, though they tried not to show it.

"I suppose we should go now if we want to make it back to Konoha before dark," she chirped as she slipped her sandals back on. All the two young men could do was swallow nervously, exchange a quick look, and then follow after their friend who had already danced herself far ahead of them.

The sun had just dipped out of view casting a red glowing ribbon across the horizon when Team 7 arrived in Konoha. Sakura was already feeling her eyes start to droop and, although they weren't sore, her muscles felt tired from the day's work. So she stretched her lovely arms behind her head and drew in a deep refreshing yawn, then she said goodnight to both Naruto and Sasuke and headed back to her home. As they watched her sillouette vanishing down the dusk-lit street, the boys hardly registered the tall figure that had approached them from behind.

"Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto," addressed the battle-scarred young man who, from his uniform, appeared to be a runner from the missions department. "I know it's late, but I have been given direct orders from the Hokage to share information with you regarding a very critical mission. I was told specifically to seek your team and only your team, so everything we discuss tonight is to be kept private."

"Understood," Sasuke spoke calmly, trying to ignore Naruto, whose fists were clenched and eyes were sparkling with excitement.

"Oh wait," the man said with a pause. "I didn't realize we're one person short. I should probably wait until your whole team is present."

Before the messenger could extricate himself from the situation, however, Naruto interrupted him impatiently, "Don't worry about it, we'll fill Sakura in on everything tomorrow. Please, just tell us about the mission!"

After taking a long pause to consider what had just been said, the man closed his eyes and reluctantly sighed, "Alright." And he went on to give the details of the mission. "Over the past several months about a dozen people have been attacked and killed in the woods in the southern peninsula. We have significant evidence to suggest that these killings were all perpetrated by the same individual… and that the individual is not human."

"N-Not human?" Naruto stammered. "What sort of evidence do you have to indicate that?"

Without saying a word, the man pulled out an envelope from his bag and placed it in the impetuous young ninja's hands. Naruto reached inside and pulled out a small stack of photographs while Sasuke watched intently over his shoulder. As he flipped through the photos, both his and Sasuke's facial expressions grew increasingly horrified.

"I should have warned you," the messenger nin told them, "these pictures are extremely graphic. But, as you can see, the bodily damage done to the victims is unlike any shinobi weapon and is also inconsistent with any known jutsu. The ragged edges of the wounds and the deep tissue damage look like the work of…"

"A monster," breathed Sasuke.

"That is what we assume," the messenger said slowly and deliberately. "And that is what your team will try to find out. This is primarily an investigatory mission. You two, and the other member of your team, will leave at dawn's light tomorrow. Your goal is to get as close as you can to this predator and to gather as much information as you possibly can." He paused briefly. "There is a good chance you will have to fight this thing, so the decision to accept this mission should not be taken lightly."

"We'll do it," Naruto replied, uncharacteristically serious, and Sasuke nodded agreement.

"Very well. I wish you good luck." With these words and a respectful handshake to each boy, the messenger took his leave.

For several minutes afterwards, Naruto and Sasuke stood in silence, not because they were contemplating their dangerous new mission, but because Naruto had flipped to a photograph that stole both of their attentions. It was a photo of a teenaged girl, decapitated, the surrounding flesh torn to ribbons, her lifeless body splayed on the red-stained grass. The young men looked at each other, knowing that they had the same thought on their minds.

"She's going to hate us, you know," Naruto sighed.

"I know," Sasuke answered softly. "But it's better than the alternative. I'd rather Sakura hated us for not including her in this mission then to lose her."

"But she's gotten really strong these past years," Naruto reasoned. "She's really in no more danger than either of us are. And she's an excellent medical nin, we'll need her. Shouldn't we just let her decide for herself if she wants to come?"

"She won't turn down this mission if we tell her about it," huffed Sasuke. "I have no problem gambling with my own life, but not with hers. I won't let Sakura end up like that girl in the photograph."

The horrifying image of Sakura's body, headless and mutilated assaulted Naruto's mind and a small croak escaped his throat. "You're right Sasuke. We can't tell Sakura… But we will tell Master Kakashi."

"Yes," the Uchiha agreed. "And we'll tell him not to let Sakura go out looking for us… Even if he has to say things that will make her hate us." He could tell from his friend's expression that he was feeling as anxious and guilty as himself, but he reassured himself that Sakura's life was at stake. "See you at dawn, Naruto?"

"Yeah," Naruto answered, even as he had begun to walk home. "See you at dawn, Sasuke."

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

**Chapter 2: "Those Two Must Have Balls of Steel"**

"Be careful, Sakura sweetheart," Mrs. Haruno chided her four-year old daughter. "And you know the rules, don't speak to any strangers and don't wander past the edge of the meadow."

"I know, I know," the little girl replied, fidgeting impatiently. "Can I go play now?"

"Alright," her mother chuckled, scooting Sakura out the door. "Have fun."

Almost as soon as little Sakura left her front steps she began tugging off her sandals. She couldn't stand shoes that kept her from feeling the cool wet grass under her feet. Barefoot and free, she dashed headlong through the seemingly endless meadow of fragrant spring grass dotted liberally with white and yellow flowers. The toddler was so rapt in running around and spinning in circles in her own little make-believe world that it took her quite by surprise when she heard another child's voice.

"Hi," the voice said shyly. "Can I play too?"

Sakura knew that she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, but this was just a kid. He was a little boy, barely bigger than her, with a mop of black hair and sad dark eyes and a blue t-shirt that was comically oversized and hung off of his shoulder. In all honesty he looked rather pathetic and lonely. But Sakura was kind of lonely, too, and she wanted to talk to him even if the rules said she shouldn't.

"Okay," she replied with a bright cheerful smile. "Do you know how to make flower chains?"

"No," said the little boy, though a smile was slowly emerging on his lips. "Will you show me how?"

It wasn't long before the two tots had picked armfuls of tiny blossoms and were sitting in the grass meticulously weaving the stems together with nimble little fingers.

"Finished!" Sakura exclaimed proudly as she tucked one last yellow bloom into the wreath she was working on. Then she placed it delicately on her new friend's head. "You can be the Prince of Flowers!"

"The- the Prince?" the little boy stuttered, his face turning brightest scarlet as he looked down at his own, much less impressive, floral creation. "Mine's not very good… but you can have it. That way you can be the Princess."

"Thank you!" Sakura exclaimed, accepting the sloppy crown of flowers without any trace of disappointment. "I love it!"

The Prince and Princess of Flowers chased each other through the meadow, giggling and squealing with delight as they rolled in the grass and played. Finally they flopped down on their backs to catch their breath, and as they did they stared up at the lazily moving clouds crawling across the vast expanse of blue sky. Without looking at each other, the two children's hands met and their fingers instinctively intertwined. It was during this moment of peace that Sakura realized she didn't even know her friend's name.

"I forgot to tell you, I'm Sakura," she said. "What's your…"

She didn't have a chance to finish her sentence. The previously blue sky turned sickest acid green as a hideous animalistic howl tore through the atmosphere and the little girl's nostrils were suddenly flooded with the overpowering stench of blood and rotting flesh. She was glued to the grass with terror and she could no longer feel the little boy's hand in hers. Before she could even scream for help, a massive and grotesque shape darkened Sakura's view and immediately lunged at her. A huge snout-like jaw rimmed with pointed, yellowish teeth snapped just centimeters from her face and hot putrid breath stuck thickly to her cheeks. She squeezed her eyes closed as one final plunge forward from the beast struck her with a flash of black and red.

Sakura's eyes burst open and she jolted upright, back in the familiar setting of her young adult bed. Her heart was pounding against her ribs.

"It was a dream," she sighed, rubbing her eyes that were aching from the morning sunlight. "That scared the shit outta me." Regaining some composure, Sakura picked up the clock on her bedside table and her sense of panic immediately returned. "Nine o'clock! Shit! I overslept! The boys are going to be so pissed off!"

With unprecedented haste, she rolled out of bed, scrambled to put on her favorite red shirt and blue shorts, and pulled a brush through her pink chin-length hair. Then she grabbed her leaf headband and a couple of slices of toast and dashed out the front door. All the while, she couldn't help thinking about the frighteningly realistic dream she had been having right before she woke up. It wasn't the first time she had a dream about a monster attacking her. The thought made her stomach lurch. In the past, it seemed that every time she dreamt about a monster, it always preceded something terrible that was about to happen. Well, no matter what happened, she felt better knowing she had two great partners to stand by her side.

Seconds later, she arrived pink-cheeked and winded at Naruto's favorite ramen restaurant having made record time, and expected to see her teammates waiting impatiently for her. Amongst the throng of diners, Sakura spotted a shock of wild silvery hair, which was unmistakably that of Master Kakashi, but as she moved closer to him it was clear that Naruto and Sasuke weren't with him.

"Where are the guys?" she asked, sounding a bit annoyed. "They didn't ditch did they? 'Cause I'm only a little bit late."

"Actually, they told me to meet you here today in their place," the seasoned ninja said calmly between slurps of noodle. "They've left town on a mission."

"A mission!" Sakura stammered incredulously. She didn't even care that people around her were staring. "Those two must have balls of steel if they think they can leave me behind! Where did they go, Master Kakashi? I'm gonna track 'em down and give 'em a piece of my mind!" She could feel the blood rising hotly into her cheeks. She was so mad at her partners, but she was eager to set them strait and put this behind her.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Kakashi informed somewhat hesitantly. "Naruto and Sasuke made it very clear that they don't want you following them or getting in the way."

For a moment, the fire that had been burning in Sakura's chest went out, as if she had just been drenched with a bucket of ice water. Even the feisty voice inside of her, her inner Sakura, was shocked into silence. "Did they… did they tell you why?" she finally stuttered.

"They just said you're not ready," her teacher answered.

"Not ready? Not ready?" she fumed, seizing Kakashi by his green jacket and shaking him violently. "Why those foul, mean-hearted…" She choked; there was nothing she could say. She wanted to feel nothing but rage, but her inner Sakura had regained its voice and was crying in despair. _They left me! I've worked so hard for so long and they still find me unworthy! I love them and they still decided I'm not good enough to fight by their side!_ The dueling emotions churned inside of her like two volatile liquids, and when she felt her eyelids start to sting she knew she had to get out. She shoved her way roughly through the crowd and out of the restaurant without saying goodbye to Kakashi.

Sakura hurtled through the streets of Konoha, through her front door, and into her bedroom so fast that nobody who saw her dart past could have noticed that her face was streaked with tears. With reckless abandon, she flung herself onto her bed, buried her wet face into a pillow and let loose a primordial, albeit muffled scream. Then she threw the pillow against the wall so hard the seams burst and several feathers leaked out. She had been abandoned, her perfect world was shattered. This was it. This was what her nightmare was predicting.

"I'll train even harder!" she exclaimed to herself, feeling a sudden jerk of devious pleasure. "I worked my ass off to be on the same level as those two! But I can do even better! I'll become stronger than Naruto and Sasuke, and then they'll beg me to go on their missions with them! Or maybe I'll go out on missions without them! See how they like it!" Fueled by red-hot anger rather than genuine ambition, Sakura grabbed her kunai and her shuriken and headed out into the woods to push her body to its limits once again.

When she returned home in the evening, sweating and achy, Sakura felt strong and empowered, she had worked off a lot of her initial rage, but she still didn't feel happy. Before, whenever she had accomplished even a minor success in ninja training Sakura could always count on Naruto performing a ridiculously enthusiastic victory dance in her honor. Even Sasuke's subtle smile and approving nod had always made her feel like her efforts had been worthwhile. But today, after all her hard work, she was alone, and it felt miserable.

Nonetheless, Sakura spent every day, from dawn until dusk, training. Each evening when she came back home she would feel lonely and worthless and unable to sleep, and so she would sit at her desk and carefully write out what she planned to say to Naruto and Sasuke when they eventually returned. She poured every seething emotion she felt onto the lovely kitty-cat stationery, going into great detail about how she had been betrayed and deserted. Invariably, she would find what she wrote unsatisfactory and crumple it up into a ball, and her floor was soon littered with her various attempts.

By Friday evening Sakura was exhausted, more so emotionally than physically, though she hardly seemed to sleep the past several nights. She closed her bedroom door and didn't slam it like usual, then collapsed on her bed not feeling like writing. How had it only been one week since they left? Time had never moved this slowly during the two years when she was being mentored by Tsunade, even though her boys weren't around then either. As she lay there, she found herself wondering once again what the two of them were doing and when they would ever come back home. Was it really such a difficult task as to warrant her exclusion? As she was reveling in her own misery, someone knocked on her door and her heart jolted. Could it be Naruto or Sasuke, home at last and here to beg forgiveness?

"Sakura, are you there?" a female voice asked through the door. "It's me, Ino. Can I come in?"

"Uh, yeah," Sakura answered, still quite shocked that she had a visitor. She vigorously combed her fingers through her hair and straightened out her shirt in an attempt to appear presentable. "Come in."

Sakura's best friend and frequent rival, Ino, stepped through the doorway cautiously. She was dressed in casual clothes, denim shorts and a lavender blouse, and was clutching a matching silk purse. Her ice blue eyes scanned Sakura's disheveled bedroom, from her unmade bed to her paper-strewn floor, and then glanced over Sakura herself, who was equally disheveled.

"Are you going somewhere?" the pink-haired young lady asked her guest, trying desperately to sound relaxed. "I see you've got your favorite purse."

"Actually, I am going somewhere," the blonde replied. "Tenten is having a party. I suspect it's just an excuse of hers to have Neji over at her house, but I'm gonna go anyways." She paused. "And I think you should come, too. In fact, that's why I'm here."

"Sorry," Sakura said rather bluntly. "I'm not interested."

But Ino persisted. "Sakura, you've spent the whole week by yourself," she said. "I know about what Naruto and Sasuke did. I know they went on a huge mission without you. And I don't blame you for being pissed. I know I'd be pissed if Shikamaru and Chouji tried to pull that on me. But shutting yourself off will only make you feel worse. Come on, Sakura. Come out and have some fun with your friends. We miss you."

"You… you do?" Sakura asked. Her chest felt light just from hearing that she was missed. "Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt to stop in… I'll have to take a shower first, though."

"Oh, that's great!" Ino exclaimed, sounding genuinely happy. "I'll see you there!" Then she cheerfully waltzed out of the room and closed the door behind her.

Sakura sank back onto her bed with a sigh. She hadn't been quite sure that she wanted to go to Tenten's party, but there was no backing out now. _Who knows?_ Her inner Sakura asked as she stepped into the shower. _Maybe this party really is what I need to get my mind off of those stupid boys._ And her outer Sakura hoped with all her heart that it was true.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: The reason I keep updating this story is that I already wrote the first five chapters. I just am putting them up one at a time. After I've posted the first five, it will take me longer to update. Thank you to those who commented!

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

**Chapter 3: "An Ending Is Still An Ending"**

For the party, Sakura selected a gauzy red dress to wear and pulled her hair back off of her face with a red lacquered barrette. She swallowed nervously and stared at her uncomfortable red shoes before taking the final step up to Tenten's house and knocking on the door. The hostess, hair in stylish buns and decked in her loveliest Chinese dress, welcomed the anxious nin into her home but then quickly disappeared back into the dense crowd of guests in search of her much desired teammate, Hyuuga Neji. A quick overview of the hazily lamp lit room confirmed what Sakura had been dreading. Virtually every guest at the party was a young shinobi and they had divided themselves into couples or their three-person teams, huddled closely in intimate conversation.

The elegant platinum blonde swoosh of Ino's hair made her easy to find in the crowd, and as soon as Sakura spotted her she offered an apprehensive wave to draw her friend's attention. Ino was thoroughly engaged in a dialogue with her big-boned partner Chouji, but the arrival of her friend temporarily stole her attention. Her eyes brightened when they met with Sakura's and she waved back with a broad grin.

"You actually came!" she exclaimed with exaggerated surprise. "Well, don't just stand there, come join the fun!"

Being a third or fourth wheel in somebody else's tightly bonded team was not exactly Sakura's idea of fun, but she walked across the room to join Ino, holding out hope that the mood of the party would change and there would be more social mixing of the teams. When Sakura reached her side, the young woman had already turned her back and was once again deeply engrossed in her conversation, which Shikamaru had now joined in as well. From the snatches of banter Sakura was picking up on the sidelines, she could tell the teammates were reliving one of their recent missions, though some details were probably being exaggerated. (She truly doubted that the portly Chouji had outrun six waterfall nin for twenty miles.)

"I think I'm going to go mix," she finally sighed, realizing she would never be an active part of this discussion. "Maybe I'll catch up with you later, Ino."

"Yeah, that's cool," the blonde replied breezily, not even turning to look at her friend as she spoke. "If I don't see you again tonight… then… tomorrow…" Her words trailed off and Sakura stalked away, growling slightly under her breath.

Winding her way through Tenten's party guests, never lingering near anyone long enough to pick up more than a few words of conversation, Sakura couldn't have felt more conspicuous. Even clutching a colorful beverage in her delicate fingers didn't make her feel any more a part of the festivities. As she made the circuit around the room, she saw Hinata's team enjoying themselves. Hinata was giggling delightedly as she watched Kiba toss hors d'oeuvres to his large dog Akamaru on whose back he was perched, very unlike the shy waif she was ordinarily. Their other teammate, Shino, meanwhile was trying to distract the dog from performing his stunts, aided by several of his six-legged friends.

A thought infiltrated the pretty young ninja's mind as she witnessed everyone else's revelry: if Sasuke and Naruto were here with her this would actually be a really fun party. But they had ruined everything. Suddenly, Sakura's chest felt as if it was being squeezed from all directions, she was sweating and she couldn't get any air into her lungs no matter how deeply she gasped. She actually thought she might throw up. Making brilliant use of her speed as well as her elbows, the young nin zigzagged her way to Tenten's back door and plunged headfirst into the cool night air.

She bent over for a minutes, desperately gulping up lungful after lungful of sweet air, and as she was staggering about she stumbled haphazardly into something tall and hard. A tree? No, it was a person.

"Careful there, Sakura," he said. "Don't hurt yourself."

Craning her head upwards, the bewildered girl found herself looking upon a tall, lanky boy with perfectly cropped black hair and large saucer-like eyes twinkling beneath remarkably thick black eyebrows.

"Eh? Lee?" she uttered. "What are you doing out here? I mean… why aren't you inside at the party? She's your teammate."

Rock Lee scratched the back of his neck, smiling awkwardly. "Yeah, uh, Tenten kinda told me I was getting in her way… You know, with her trying to put the moves on Neji… Told me to make myself scarce. Everyone else is just hanging out with their teams so I came out here. I was actually about to head home when you ran into me… literally."

It was a rare phenomenon, Sakura realized, that she was seeing her friend Lee in anything other than his green jumpsuit and orange legwarmers, a look he had copied from his mentor, Master Gai. Tonight he was clad in khaki pants and a sharp green shirt that buttoned up in the front. She couldn't repress a small smile, not because he looked bad, because he didn't, but simply because it was such an unusual sight, Lee in normal clothes.

"Hey, what about you?" he added. "Why aren't you inside hanging out with Naruto and Sasuke?"

Sakura's jaw slackened. "Are you totally clueless?" she asked without any hint of sarcasm. "Don't you know? Naruto and Sasuke have been gone for a week on some top secret mission."

"Oh," a baffled Lee replied. "Why didn't you go with them?"

At this point, Sakura was getting rather irritated by Lee's naïveté. "Because they left without telling me!" she barked. Lee flinched visibly and she relaxed her tensed body. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault… I just assumed everyone knew already."

The area behind Tenten's house was grassy but lacked any tall plants, so the light of the full moon bathed the entire scene in a luminous glow. A few feet away there was fallen tree that would make an ideal bench, so Sakura sank down onto it with a heavy sigh and Lee took a seat next to her. Behind them, the party was nothing more than a dull distant roar.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly.

"No," she muttered miserably. "It's bad enough that I haven't stopped thinking about it all week… I don't need to talk about how the two people I trusted the most betrayed me and insulted my abilities as a ninja."

"Well maybe it's not what you think," her friend comforted. "Maybe they're not even on a mission. Maybe they're off planning a surprise party for you."

Sakura snorted loudly at the ridiculous platitude. "Lee, that is by far the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say," she stated bluntly. "What kind of party takes a week to prepare?"

"Um, a really really good one?" he answered with a grin as Sakura shook her head, embarrassed for him. "Okay, okay… That was a pretty bad line," he admitted. Then his voice became more sober. "But the situation isn't necessarily as bad as you assume. Don't you think it's possible that Naruto and Sasuke are just trying to protect you?"

"I don't _need_ to be protected," she snapped. "I'm just as good a ninja as they are. They should treat me like their equal, instead of like…"

"A girl?" Lee finished tentatively. Judging by Sakura's silence, he had gotten it right. "I hate to break it to you, Sakura, but men are not always rational when it comes to the opposite sex. We tend to do outrageous romantic things in order to protect the girls we love."

Hearing that four-letter word, the girl snapped to attention, her face taking on a slightly pinker shade. She did not miss the fact that Lee had just tacitly acknowledged that Sasuke and Naruto both really did love her. But there was another thought that came to mind as well. Sakura just couldn't help remembering the time when Lee himself had rescued her from the sound team during their first chuunin exam years ago. She turned and looked him in the face. He was blushing too. Then Sakura realized that perhaps Lee had never gotten over his old crush on her. And it felt strangely good. At least there was one person who still wanted her.

"Things were just going so perfectly before this," she eventually said, ending the awkward silence. She sighed and looked down again. "I feel like I've been cheated out of my happy ending."

"Ending?" Lee asked, puzzled. "At seventeen? It's kind of sad if you've already reached the ending at age seventeen, don't you think?"

"You… you know what I meant, Lee," Sakura defended, though her voice was starting to wobble. "Everything was just going so well with me and my guys. We were a team."

"You still are," Lee reminded.

"But it's different now," she went on. "Back when we were kids, we were all put on the same team, but I knew I wasn't on the same level as them and it made me feel so inferior and even jealous. But I trained hard under Tsunade's guidance, and I finally became their true equal… and they recognized that. Now… Now, it's like I'm twelve years old again… and feeling like a token member of the team…" Much to Sakura's surprise, there was a tear gliding slowly down her cheek, nothing like the furious deluge she had produced when she first heard about her mates' treachery, but a single melancholy trickle. She was even more caught off guard when her non-teammate friend brushed the offending droplet from her face with a simple stroke of the back of his hand.

"Just remember," he said warmly. "Whether happy or sad, an ending is still an ending. And what comes next? Nothing. Endings don't really matter much. It's everything that happens before them that's important. And I think you, and Sasuke and Naruto, and even myself… we all have a lot of happy times ahead before we reach the ending. So don't get bogged down when life gets a little rough, okay."

"I stand corrected," Sakura said with just a hint of sarcasm. "That's the stupidest thing you've ever said." But she was laughing, and that meant everything in the world. "Hey, Lee," she added as she stood up and dusted off her dress. "Would you mind walking me home?"

"I thought you didn't need protection," he said wryly.

"Not for protection," she answered with a smile. "Just for companionship."

"It would be my pleasure," he said. Then he offered his hand in a most gentlemanly way and added, "May I say that you look really amazing tonight."

"Why thank you, sir," she replied with mock formality. The two friends continued to talk as they walked hand in hand through the moonlit streets of Konoha, Lee wearing khaki pants and a green button-up shirt, Sakura wearing a gauzy red dress and a long lost smile.

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

Now things are starting to happen…

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

**Chapter 4: "The Last Thing I Expected to Happen"**

_Lub-dub lub-dub_

Sakura awoke to a heartbeat, warm and gentle against her cheek. The morning sun had already crawled into her bedroom and as it implored her eyes to open, she found herself resting on a warm expanse of pale smooth skin. Propping herself up with one hand, the drowsy young woman gazed down, half-shocked, at the naked young man whose chest had been such a comfortable pillow, and who was still blissfully asleep next to her in her bed. The golden glow streaming in through the window danced on the boy's shiny black hair, giving the impression of a halo around his sleeping head.

"Lee," Sakura whispered, as if saying his name would make the situation seem more real.

She remembered every detail about what happened the night before, crystal clear. She remembered Lee walking her home from Tenten's party and she remembered inviting him up to her room. She remembered the way his mouth tasted when she kissed him, remembered the smell of his soft ebony hair as it brushed against her face. She remembered how it felt having his strong body pressed against hers, skin to naked skin.

Yet it all seemed so dreamlike in the light of day. Waking up next to Rock Lee was, after all, a scenario that Sakura never would have imagined. He had been a considerate and loyal friend to her for many years and she did care about him. But her feelings for him had always been platonic, never sexual, or even romantic. So it was hard to believe that he had become her lover. Now, watching his chest rhythmically rise and fall as he continued to sleep, all Sakura could see was her friend Lee. Her naked friend Lee. All of the sudden she was very aware that neither herself nor Lee was wearing any clothes and she pulled her pink bed sheets up around her protectively.

_It really did happen,_ she thought to herself. _I slept with Lee. _Then her mind began to race with a flood of other thoughts.

Man, I was so upset last night… But why? Oh right, Naruto and Sasuke… I can't believe I forgot about that... And I… I don't think I feel mad anymore… I actually slept really well last night… No nightmares… Wow! Being with Lee really… Whatever he did…Wow!

Having finally wrapped her mind around what happened the night before, Sakura brushed a dark strand of hair off of the young man's face and smiled at him gratefully. He was the friend who, for one night, had become a lover, because last night that is what she had needed. She had needed him like shelter from a raging storm, warmth and closeness at a time when her heart was broken.

Then the boy at her side emitted a soft sigh and his lips curled up in a dozy smile. "Mmm… Sakura…"

Sakura's stomach did an unexpected back flip and she felt her heart pulsing in her throat.

Oh my god, Lee! Last night… It probably meant something totally different to him! He… he's always had a crush on me… He must know that last night was just a one time, spur-of-the-moment thing… But what if he doesn't? What if he thinks I'm in love with him or something? And how can I tell him that I'm not without breaking his heart? I don't want to hurt Lee after he did so much for me. I just want us to go back to being friends like before… And what will happen when Sasuke and Naruto find out? I really don't want to have this conversation! 

But there could be no delaying the inevitable. Sakura now realized that she had traded all of her angst and anger at her teammates for a whole new, even more complex set of problems with Lee. And just as she was meditating on how much she didn't want to have to the morning after talk with him, he woke up.

"Guh morning Sak'ra," he yawned, with a smile so serene it bordered on idiotic. "You sleep alright?"

"Uh… yeah," she said softly. Her nervous blush had unpredictably returned as she looked in his round innocent eyes and she felt more anxious than ever. "Um… Lee… last night… it was…"

" Unexpected?" Lee ventured a shy guess.

"Yes, it was definitely unexpected," she replied awkwardly. "I mean, that was the last thing I expected to happen after Tenten's party… You and me having se…" She couldn't finish her sentence as her throat tensed up and her face grew even redder.

"Was I… was I no good?" he asked with a hint of embarrassment.

"Oh no! You were good, Lee… Incredible actually," she blurted out accidentally, then clapped a hand over her mouth as soon as the words left her lips. "I mean," she added. "It was an incredible thing you did for me. Last night what I needed more than anything was to not be alone, and to feel like I was desired and wanted by someone… by a man… You gave that to me and I'll never forget about it."

"I'm… I'm glad that I could make you feel better," he stuttered, though he was still pink-faced from the startling compliment she had paid him. "You know, Sakura, that if you ever need anything I will do whatever I can to give it to you. I love you."

That four-letter word was exactly what Sakura was most afraid of, but she carried on. "I love you too, Lee. You're a very good _friend_." She put a strong emphasis on the last word. Now came the difficult part. "And I would never want what happened between us last night to change our friendship. It was just a one-time thing, and it was special… but it's never going to happen again… So I think you and I should just continue being friends like we always were, as if last night never happened. I… I would hate to lose a friend like you, just because of a one-night stand."

"A one-night stand," Lee echoed quietly, though Sakura wasn't sure if it was a statement or a question. Then Lee gave a soft chuckle. "Yeah, it would be a shame to throw away our friendship over a thing like that."

Sakura swallowed nervously. He was taking this surprisingly well, but there was still one more thing she wanted to say. "I don't think we should tell anyone about this," she told him. "Not even our teammates. They… they'd just ask questions that I really don't think I feel like answering. So, would you mind if we just keep this between you and me?"

"Alright," the boy answered. "Whatever you want."

The pink-haired nin felt a strange pang of guilt as she watched Lee's blank face. She couldn't even tell if she had hurt his feelings or not. "Can you do one more thing for me?" she whispered. "Once you leave, you and I will never be close like this again. But right now, could you hold me… just a little while longer?"

With a kind and genuine smile spreading on his lips, Lee reached a strong arm around Sakura and pulled her close against his body. As she nestled into his intimate embrace, it was impossible for the young woman not to remember the extraordinary physical sensations he had made her feel the night before and a shiver of pleasure coursed down her spine.

"You cold?" Lee asked.

"No, I'm fine," she replied with a chortle. "But hey, if you ever want to do something else for me you could go find Naruto and Sasuke and drag their asses back to Konoha." It was meant as a joke and Lee laughed at it, which eased Sakura's mind a bit.

_Everything will be fine,_ she consoled herself in her head. _We'll be friends just like we always were. Sasuke and Naruto will never find out. Nothing's going to change._ Then she closed her eyes and cuddled against Lee's chest. Whatever magic had allowed her to slumber so soundly last night soon took effect again and within minutes she had fallen fast asleep.

When Sakura woke up for good an hour later, she was alone. For a moment, she actually believed that everything that happened last night and earlier that morning had been a bizarre dream, brought about by stress and fatigue. Clumsily, she dragged the side of her hand across her forehead and something small that had been stuck to her dewy skin plopped onto her pillow.

"A button?" she puzzled as she picked up the tiny white object and scrutinized it. An almost inaudible gasp escaped her throat when she realized what it was. "Lee's button. It wasn't a dream." The button must have ripped off of his green shirt during her energetic effort to get the garment off of him. As embarrassing as this thought was, it was much easier for Sakura to deal with then the next image that invaded her nervous mind. It was the image of Lee's face as he had uttered the words "one night stand," and she couldn't get it out of her head. It just kept repeating like a broken down record machine. "I've got to make sure he's really okay," she concluded, and eagerly leapt out of bed.

Lee wasn't at his home. He wasn't at the ramen restaurant. He wasn't at two dozen other Konoha locales that Sakura searched. By noon she was becoming very anxious and she moved more and more erratically from one place to another, checking stores and restaurants she had already visited for any sign of Lee. It wasn't until she ran into Tenten and Neji in the street, however, that Sakura became truly panicked.

"Hey, Sakura, have you seen Lee at all today?" Tenten asked nervously. "We were supposed to go out on a team mission today, but he never showed up."

"It's very unlike him," the white-eyed Neji added stoically. "Lee would never bail out of a mission or do anything else that might disappoint Master Gai. This is cause for great concern."

"I… I haven't seen him!" Sakura yelped. "I'm sorry!" Then she pushed her way past the two remaining members of Team Gai to continue her search. But she knew it was in vain.

He's gone! Lee's run away and it's all my fault! Damn it! I'm so selfish! All I was thinking about last night was myself and what I needed and… and I never stopped to think about Lee's feelings. Now he's gone! Just like Sasuke and Naruto. No wonder they left me… all three of them… I don't deserve any of them! God, I'm a selfish witch! 

As she ran back to her home, Sakura felt white-hot shame burning inside her heart, and she could think of only one thing that could alleviate it. She stopped at her home only long enough to gather her weapons and supplies then, fully equipped, she headed out on her own. She was leaving Konoha to go find Rock Lee, and she wasn't coming home without him.

Like a gazelle, Sakura propelled through the city streets, heading for the southernmost outskirts of Konoha, where it opened up into a large grassy hill just before the forest began. It was afternoon now so she would have to move fast in order to cover as much ground as possible before dark. Her trek only lasted a few meters outside of the city limits, however, before she stopped dead in her tracks. At the top of the hill, heading straight towards her was a sillouette. No, it was two silhouettes. And as the pair of travelers came closer, their identities became obvious.

"S-Sasuke… Naruto…" she gasped, then took off running once again to meet them.

Something was terribly wrong. She could feel it. Both young men wore dour expressions and their clothes were stained liberally with what appeared to be blood. Slung across Sasuke's back was something rather large, and probably heavy based on his sagging posture. Sakura's heart took on a galloping beat.

"Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed. "Sakura, thank god you're here!"

"Why? What's going on?" she asked, the desperation in Naruto's voice making her even more frightened.

Then she saw it, the very thing she had been looking for.

"Lee," she breathed as the twisted green mass that Sasuke carried came into focus. "What… what happened to him?"

The Uchiha didn't answer or even make eye contact with the terrified girl as he carefully lowered Lee's limp body onto the ground. When he did speak, it was to Naruto. "Go get Tsunade! And hurry!" Then he turned to a trembling Sakura. "You know medical ninjutsu. Is there anything you can do for him? Be careful, his bones are broken."

"I'll see what I can do," she croaked, her whole body shaking as she sank down to her knees to evaluate Lee's injuries. "But you have to tell me what happened, Sasuke."

"We… we shouldn't have gone without you," he uttered, shaking his head pathetically.

"I don't care about that!" Sakura snapped at him, surprising even herself. "Just tell me what happened to Lee!"

"Naruto and I were trailing an enemy in the forest… Lee just showed up out of nowhere. He was behaving erratically… yelling…" Sasuke paused and shot an oddly suspicious glance at Sakura, who was now cradling Lee's head in her lap. "I… I couldn't tell what he was saying… Then he just erupted and attacked this guy we were following. We would have jumped in to help him, but he told us to stay back. I'd never seen Lee fight like that before. He killed his opponent… but he got pretty badly hurt doing it…"

By now Sakura was thoroughly occupied tending to Lee, but she still heard every word that Sasuke said and something about his story didn't add up. "All of Lee's injuries appear to be internal," she marveled. "What kind of enemy could do this kind of damage without leaving any external signs?" She stared at Sasuke waiting for an answer.

"Sakura…" a weak voice whimpered, drawing her attention back downward. Lee had awakened, but he was in terrible shape. He could only open his eyes halfway and they were dull and clouded over.

"Don't try to talk," Sakura whispered, cupping his cheek with the palm of her hand. "And try not to move. Your back is broken. Tsunade is on her way so just hold on."

It took all of her energy to keep her voice from quavering, but she couldn't stop the salty tears that dripped from her eyes down her nose and onto Lee's face. She knew enough medical ninjutsu to know that his injuries were beyond her abilities to repair. All she could do now is hold him and comfort him, and wait for the Hokage to arrive.

_It's all my fault,_ she agonized in her head. _It's all my fault that Lee got hurt._

She would have continued blaming herself, but her misery was suddenly and terrifyingly interrupted when Lee's head wrenched to the side and he coughed deeply, bringing up a huge quantity of blood from his stomach and spilling it on the grass. She gasped in horror then broke into sobs.

"Don't die, Lee! Please, don't die!" she cried. But he was already slipping back into unconsciousness.

At that very moment the busty, queen-like figure of Tsunade Hokage came into view, striding towards the scene with Naruto at her side trying his best to keep up. As the powerful medical nin examined the beaten young man, Sasuke recounted the same story he had told Sakura, almost word for word. Naruto just stood there, waiting with bated breath, a stretcher held at his side. And Sakura watched the older woman's face anxiously, searching for any signs of optimism. But her expression remained grim.

"I'm sorry," she said desolately. "Even if we get him back into town, there isn't much I can do for him."

"What are you saying?" Sakura squeaked, her face wet and swollen from crying. "Is Lee going to die?"

"He'll be lucky if he lives another twelve hours," Tsunade replied sadly. "But let's still get him to the hospital as quickly as possible."

With the care and caution of two people disarming a bomb, Sakura and Tsunade moved Lee's broken body onto the stretcher. His eyes were closed now, his skin pallid and sickly, and his lips glistened with bright red arterial blood. The two healthy young men lifted the stretcher aloft and carried it back over the hill towards Konoha, Naruto in front and Sasuke in back, while Tsunade walked beside them austerely.

"Sasuke, Naruto… You boys and I are going to have to talk about what happened to Lee," she informed sternly. "And this time you're going to tell me the truth. Got it?"

The two boys swallowed in unison. "Yes ma'am."

They were both too traumatized to notice that they had left Sakura behind, sitting on the grass in a pool of Lee's blood. She just sat there, unable to move, unable to think, unable to even cry anymore. She just sat there, staring blankly at her hands, which were now stained permanently red.

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

This is the last of the already written chapters. So it will be longer between updates from now on.

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

**Chapter 5: "But There Really Was a Monster!"**

"Have you seen Sakura?" Naruto asked Sasuke nervously. The two teenage boys were standing outside the closed door to the Hokage's office, tautly waiting for her to summon them inside. Three chaotic days had passed since they returned to Konoha, and this was the first opportunity Tsunade had to speak to them. The air surrounding the two friendly rivals was thick.

"Not since last night," Sasuke sighed. "At the hospital. She was sitting next to Lee's bed."

"Still?" questioned Naruto.

The Uchiha nodded. "And still not talking. I can't tell if she's mad at us or if she's just worried about Lee… Either way…" He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and gritted his teeth.

"Do you think Fuzzy Brows will be okay?" his friend asked in a shaky voice. "I mean… he has to be…"

"I don't know, Naruto," Sasuke said sadly. "Tsunade said…"

"I know what Tsunade said!" Naruto barked. "But she's wrong! Fuzzy Brows is gonna be fine! And so is Sakura! So stop looking so depressed, okay!" Naruto didn't seem to notice that his voice had been growing progressively louder as he spoke, or else he simply didn't care. A couple of administrative nin who were passing by shot him odd glances before continuing about their business.

Sasuke just shook his head. What he saw in front of him was his best friend trying so desperately to be optimistic that he had to yell at himself to stay convinced. In this regard, Sasuke was actually jealous of Naruto, because Sasuke knew there was no way he could look at this situation in a positive light. His mind was fixated on Sakura, and how he and Naruto had returned to that field in the middle of the night to find her still sitting, catatonic, in a pool of partially dried blood. Her face had remained an expressionless mask and she hadn't spoken a word since then.

"I really hate it when you act all cool and silent!" Naruto interrupted Sasuke's worrying. "You need to say something so I know that you believe everything will be alright!"

The black-haired boy licked his parched lips and spread them apart to speak, but before he could make a sound the door behind him creaked open and Tsunade's stern face appeared in the yawning entrance. "Come inside, boys," she said solemnly, and they wordlessly followed suit, closing the door behind them. Two chairs were situated in front of the Hokage's desk that seemed specially designated for the two young men. Both of them, as well as Tsunade, took seat in their proper places. A tense minute passed in silence before the Lady Hokage spoke.

"Rock Lee is dead," she stated soberly. "He passed away very early this morning."

The blonde boy's face blanched white as a sheet and his entire body shook in disbelief. "No! He can't be! You said if he was going to die it would be in the first twelve hours. It's been nearly three days!"

"That isn't what I said," Tsunade calmly corrected. "I said he probably wouldn't live longer than twelve hours. And a lesser man would not have. But Lee, though he never regained consciousness, he fought for his life until the end."

As she was speaking, Naruto's hands had curled into tight sweaty fists and he had to chew his lower lip to keep from shouting in outrage. It wasn't fair and it didn't even make sense that a shinobi as determined and resilient as Fuzzy Brows could ever be extinguished. If Rock Lee was really dead, Naruto wasn't sure what kind of faith, if any, he could possibly have left in the strength of the human heart. And what burned most hotly in his chest was that he had done nothing to save his friend. Then there was _her_ to think about.

He was about to ask Tsunade about her but Sasuke beat him to it. "How is Sakura taking it?" he asked, as stoic as he always was.

"Not well," Tsunade sighed heavily. "She didn't cry, didn't speak. She basically hasn't shown any sign of emotion since we brought him in. And that scares me even more than if she was very outwardly upset. Sakura is bottling up all of her feelings inside of her and I'm very worried. I didn't realize that she and Lee were such close friends."

"Yeah, they've been buddies ever since he saved her in the forest when we were all kids," Naruto replied. Then his tense shoulders relaxed and he looked down at his lap forlornly. "But there's more to it than just that."

Tsunade cocked her head curiously to the side. "Oh?"

"Sakura wasn't with us when it happened," Sasuke explained sadly. "And we think… because she wasn't there to help him… Sakura feels somehow responsible for what happened to Rock Lee."

"Now, I have to ask you boys," said Tsunade. "What were you doing out in the wilderness on your own? And without Sakura?"

For a moment, the two boys just stared at their village's leader, as if she had said something uncharacteristically stupid. Naruto wrinkled his nose. "We were out on the mission that you assigned. You know, the top secret one that only our team was supposed to carry out."

"The monster," Sasuke added. "That has been terrorizing the woods to the south."

"Monster?" Tsunade breathed, her voice spiked with trepidation. "What monster? Who delivered this assignment to you?"

"He had longish black hair," Sasuke described the messenger. "About the same height as me. And he had a lot of old battle scars. Why are you asking? Didn't you give him the mission details to deliver to us?"

The Hokage shook her head seriously. "I did not assign this mission. I've never even heard of any monsters existing near Konoha. And the messenger you've described, he doesn't sound like any of the nin I have working for me."

"What are you saying?" Naruto rudely demanded.

Sasuke rolled his eyes contemptuously. "Don't you get it, Naruto? It was a trap. We were tricked… This wasn't even a real mission."

"But… but there really was a monster!" the agitated blonde argued. "We saw it with our own eyes!"

"I'm going to need you to describe this monster you saw to me," said the Hokage. "Spare no detail."

As Naruto described the beast, he illustrated his words with wild hand gestures and outlandish noises. "It walked on four legs sometimes, but also on two, like a man… only bigger. Much bigger! And it was all covered in grayish-brown fur. I didn't see if it had a tail, but its face was really ugly, like a hyena or a really nasty dog… huge snout and lots of gross yellow teeth, really sharp! It made a sound like a lion roaring combined with a person screaming… And the smell!" The young man paused, his nose flaring and his mouth curving into a disgusted grimace as he recalled that rancid assaulting stink, like decomposing carrion left out in the hot sun.

"It smelled like a corpse," Sasuke intoned darkly.

Tsunade remained thoughtfully quiet for a moment as her shrewd brain processed the vivid description. She was dredging up her memory bank for any knowledge of such a revolting beast, but was coming up empty handed. "Could it have been some sort of genjutsu?" she asked.

"It wasn't an illusion!" Naruto sputtered, sounding utterly impatient with the wise, deceptively old woman in front of him. "We saw Fuzzy Brows kill it! There was blood and guts everywhere!"

Naruto's face was turning purple with anger and his breathing was loud and ragged. Tsunade, however, remained calm and calculating as she tried to extract as much information from the two young jounin as she could without inciting any panic from them.

"So, now we come to the real point of this meeting," she said slowly and deliberately. "You two are going to tell me exactly what happened from the moment Rock Lee appeared on the scene. Then maybe I will get some idea of why the young shinobi found it necessary to open all eight of his chakra gates, effectively ending his own life."

"You knew?" Sasuke asked, shocked.

The Hokage got a sly look. "Of course. Are we forgetting that I am a specialist in medical ninjutsu and the Hokage of this entire village? As soon as I saw Lee, I knew exactly what had caused his injuries. That's how I knew his chances of survival were close to none. That's also how I knew you were lying to me with your original story."

Both boys looked down into their laps in shame. "Were sorry," Sasuke exhaled. "We did lie. We weren't trailing just some enemy ninja. We were trailing the monster. We thought you had assigned this mission… and we were trying to get close enough to get some photographs… We were well hidden, but somehow it saw us and then it went berserk. And then… it started heading towards Konoha. Like it knew exactly where it was going…"

"That's when Fuzzy Brows showed up," Naruto took over. "And he wasn't erratic or shouting like we said he was. He was as calm and serious as I'd ever seen him. And then he said… he said…" The words seemed too thick and sticky to leave the poor boys throat so he turned towards Sasuke, hoping he could say what happened next.

"He said, 'it's Sakura that he's after, he's going to kill her.' He told us he was going to destroy that thing so it could never hurt her. And he made us promise not to interfere because…" Uchiha swallowed hard, his voice beginning to quiver with emotion. "Because Sakura needs us both alive… and Naruto and I have to make it back to her in Konoha."

"We wanted to help him," Naruto said sorrowfully. "But he made us seal the perimeter they were fighting in. So no matter how desperate the battle grew… we couldn't go back on our word. But we saw the whole thing… the whole fight. I… I didn't know Fuzzy Brows had it in him…"

"Why would a monster be after Sakura?" Sasuke mused. "And if she was really the monster's target, how would Rock Lee know about it? And does she herself know about any of this?"

"Considering that it was your team specifically that was sought out for this false mission, it is entirely possible that Haruno Sakura was the creature's intended victim." Said Tsunade. "But it is equally possible, and a lot more logical, that it was after one of you two boys. The heir to the Uchiha clan and the boy who carries the legendary Kyuubi spirit inside him. And although I'm afraid I can't answer your other questions, I feel quite confident that Sakura has no idea about any of this."

"Should we tell her?" Naruto asked earnestly.

"I wouldn't," Tsunade said, shaking her head. "At least not yet. Sakura is clearly very upset right now. She's just lost a very close friend and she has enough stress to deal with without adding murderous beasts to the mix. Besides, we still know very little about the monster and we don't want to jump to any conclusions. I'm going to do some deep and thorough research on this mystery creature, and we'll talk again once I know more. In the meantime, don't tell anyone else what you told me here today. The last thing we need is widespread fear and panic. Now, you two are dismissed."

With these words, the Hokage stood up from her seat slowly and Sasuke and Naruto got up to leave, but before they stepped out the door, Naruto turned to Tsunade with one last sober comment. "We just didn't want her to get hurt… In case you were wondering why we didn't include Sakura on this supposed mission. She's the one person in the world that Sasuke and I would never want to see injured or sad. So we tried to keep her out of this one… It was just too dangerous… But now…" Naruto couldn't hide his frustrated tears. This week he had come closer than he ever wanted to a monster that was straight out of every child's nightmares. He had watched helplessly as talented shinobi and kind friend had willingly exerted himself to the point of agonizing death. And the fact that the girl he'd longed for since childhood was caught up in this whole ordeal and was in so much pain was just too much to bear.

Uchiha Sasuke, while better at hiding his emotions outwardly, was feeling just as distraught as his friend was on the inside. "Tsunade," he said softly. "Do you think there might be anything we could do? You know, to get Sakura back to her normal self?"

"Just be kind to her," Tsunade said, with a gentle smile that reminded the boys that her strength ran deeper than mere ninja skills. "Treat her like you always did, before this happened. And the three of you should go out on missions together as soon as you can. That's the best advice I can offer. What Rock Lee said is true, Sakura needs you two. Now more than ever."

"Thank you, Lady Hokage," Sasuke said as he opened the door to her office.

"Yes, thank you," Naruto added. And the two boys slipped out the door, knowing their lives would probably never be quite the same.

"Naruto," Sasuke spoke quietly as the young men retreated down the staircase from the Hokage's quarters. "I'll tell you this now. I'm going to be the one who makes Sakura happy again."

"Not if I beat you to it," Naruto said, with just the slightest hints of a forgotten mischievous grin.

To be continued…


	6. Chapter 6

Well, despite what I said in my last update, I managed to write one more chapter this weekend. But I'm back in school now, so it will be a while until the next one. Enjoy! And thank you so much for the comments! I never expect my fanfiction to get any comments at all.

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

**Chapter 6: "You Should Let Yourself Be Sad"**

The day of Rock Lee's funeral was overcast and rainy, never a downpour, but a slow miserable drizzle all day long. The weather truly suited the occasion, as all of those who gathered under black umbrellas in the village square for the sad event wore faces as dark and doleful as the clouds above them. Rock Lee may not have been the most wildly popular resident of Konoha; he had a reputation of being overenthusiastic and a bit eccentric, but most people did like him and respect him, and nobody ever expected him to go at the tender age of eighteen. It was not surprising that a small crowd had gathered to pay their respects.

"Tenten is crying," Naruto whispered to Sasuke, who was standing next to him in the crowd. Sure enough, a few feet away, Lee's teammate was blubbering into Neji's shoulder as he rubbed her back to try to console her. The blonde shuddered. Tucked deep into the throng of mourners he had spotted the glaring black-rimmed eyes and rust colored hair unique to the Kazekage. "Gaara's here," he breathed.

"Where's Sakura?" was Sasuke's only response.

"Not here yet," Naruto answered, scanning the open area. His eyes finally came to rest on the small altar that had been prepared, housing a framed photo of Lee with a proud grin on his face, and the tiny silver jar containing his ashes. "It's hard to believe that Fuzzy Brows is in there. I mean… that such a little container could fit all of him inside." He paused for a minute and looked over at a pensive Sasuke. "Would you be able to do it? Die for her, I mean."

"I'd like to think I would," his friend answered thoughtfully. "If the situation came up that I would have to. But I'm not sure that Lee really sacrificed himself for Sakura's sake."

"He thought that's what he was doing," Naruto stated matter-of-factly. "And that's all that really… Hey, there's Sakura…"

Sasuke's head spun towards the direction Naruto was looking. There she was, wearing a plain black dress, her hair a wet pink mess since she didn't have an umbrella. Even from a distance, they could tell that there were dark puffy circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept in days, which was quite possible. "I'm going over to her," Sasuke said.

"Me too," Naruto replied. Then he followed his dark haired buddy, politely nudging his way between the other funeral guests.

Sakura stood perfectly still in the warm mist, completely aware of everything going on around her, but unable to muster any reaction. Her emotions had been frozen since the moment Tsunade informed her that Lee's death was imminent. She couldn't speak to anyone, couldn't look at anyone, too afraid that if she did they would see her sin and hate her. But everyone's kindness and sympathy stung her even more, because she knew she didn't deserve it. She deserved to be hated. She had killed Rock Lee.

There was also the fact that she missed him, missed him deep down in her heart. Since the moment they first met, Lee had liked her. For no apparent reason, he just liked her. He was her friend. And time after time, he had protected her and encouraged her, even though they weren't in the same team. Then again, Lee was nice to everyone. He was a genuinely good person. But Sakura had another connection to Lee. Although she had dismissed that night as just comfort from a friend, she and Lee had been lovers and she could not forget it.

And yet, Sakura couldn't mourn for him like everyone else. How could she cry over how she would never look at his odd yet hopelessly endearing face smiling at her, after she had used him to ease her own loneliness? How could she remember him as her lover, after she had broken his heart and driven him into the wilderness, into a fight he couldn't win? How could she mourn for Lee when she was the one who killed him? She didn't belong at this funeral, and her inner Sakura wouldn't let her forget it.

_I shouldn't be here. I'm the one who killed him, it's my fault he's dead. Everyone who is sad and crying today… it's because of me. Look at Master Gai… he looks like a father who has lost his only son… all because of what I did… Oh no, here come Naruto and Sasuke… If they say any more kind words to me, I don't know if I can take it… All I wanted was to have my team back… whole again… but can't enjoy it now… can't be happy like this…_

"Hey Sakura," Sasuke greeted sweetly, placing a strong hand on her shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," she said without thinking about the words.

"It's… it's okay for you to feel sad," Naruto added. "I mean, Lee was a closer friend to you than he was to us. You should let yourself be sad."

"But you can't let it ruin your life," said Sasuke. "It would break Lee's heart if you were sad forever because of him. In tough times, we have to be strong and carry on. That's why…"

"That's why we're going to go on missions again, as a team, starting next week," Naruto interrupted. "And that includes you, Sakura. You're a very important part of this team… And… you're someone very important to me…"

Sasuke gave a sympathetic head tilt. "And to me, too. We made a mistake and left you behind. But never again. If you don't think you're ready to go out on a mission yet, then we'll all stay home and wait until you are."

The young woman's lips began to tremble and her cold expression softened slightly. Like a shiver that seizes one's spine without warning, Sakura suddenly realized how ridiculous her anger at these two young men had been. She loved them, loved them more than anyone else in the world. And even if she was too much of a coward to confess her terrible sin to them, she couldn't let them go on worrying over her. She would have to come out of her icy shell, fake that everything could be like before, and wait for the gods to punish her in their own way.

"I want to go," she answered softly. "I think it would be good for all of us."

Naruto and Sasuke both smiled. Not huge smiles, but the best they could sustain being at a friend's funeral. A moment later, Sakura felt both of her hands being gently squeezed by the two men on either side of her. This was as close as either one of them could ever get to her. Because the one thing Sakura was certain of was that she would never hurt Naruto or Sasuke the way she hurt Lee.

On the day Team 7 embarked on their first new mission the skies had finally cleared up, leaving the mushy, waterlogged earth as the only evidence of the week of rain. It didn't matter much, as Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were darting through the treetops, never touching the ground. Their mission was to retrieve Mr. Yamasaki's golden statue, a family heirloom that had been stolen by petty thieves. It was a low-rank mission that was ideal to ease them back into their old lifestyle.

Still, Sakura was apprehensive. In a week she had gotten quite good at pretending to be okay around everyone else. But inside her heart she was miserable. She barely ate, barely slept. When she did manage to doze off her dreams were haunted by images Lee's shattered dying body, of Naruto and Sasuke dying in the same way, and of a hideous monster that stank of rotting flesh. She was lucky if she got an hour of rest in a night before jolting awake in a cold sweat.

Today she was tired, exhausted really, but she had to push herself forward. It was a bit surreal how normal this mission was turning out to be. The three teammates were interacting just like they had before. Sakura was a few meters behind, but she could hear that Sasuke and Naruto were bickering with each other as they jumped from branch to branch. It was probably about something pointless and stupid as usual, but she couldn't hear what they were saying.

"Sakura should be in the lead," Naruto grumbled. "It would show her that she really is just as much a member of the team as you or me."

Sasuke let out an annoyed growl. "We shouldn't put too much pressure on her so soon. What, you think pushing Sakura to take on too much is going to make her feel better? Geez, you're thickheaded, Uzumaki."

"It's not pushing, it's encouraging!" Naruto retorted. "And it wouldn't hurt you to try it once in a while. You know, you didn't even show any interest in Sakura at all until a few years ago."

This irritated the Uchiha immensely. "What the hell are you trying to say, Naruto? Just because I wasn't drooling over her all the time like you, that means I can't have an opinion about what would make her happy?"

"Just shut up, Sasuke! You may have been her favorite when we were twelve, but a lot happened in those three years you were gone. Me and Sakura got pretty cozy, buddy."

Sasuke didn't respond verbally, but he shot his friend a glare as sharp as a kunai as he paused to perch on a sturdy branch and Naruto came to a stop next to him. On the ground below them stood their bandit, who had stopped to catch his breath. Now was the time to put fighting aside and work together. Sakura had landed in a treetop several meters away but still had a clear view of her teammates and their quarry.

_This is it,_ her inner Sakura said as she crouched silently in the foliage. _This is the real test. Now l find out if I can really fake the life I had before with Naruto and Sasuke._

Because she possessed perfect control of her chakra, Sakura was able to stand straight up on her precarious perch without making a sound, her sandals never slipping. Her eyes darted back and forth between the panting young man below, who was clutching a burlap wrapped parcel, and the boys, who would give her a hand signal when it was time to ambush. Despite feeling fatigued and slightly sick from a lack of sleep, the girl's mind was focused on the mission. In the corner of her sight she saw the flick of Naruto's wrist that indicated it was time. Before she could make her move, however, her legs began to wobble. She could feel the chakra she had focused in her feet as it fluctuated and surged throughout her body like a current though a livewire. Terror gripped her chest.

_My chakra! I… I can't control it anymore! And… I'm going to fall!_

The forest became dizzying blur of green and brown as Sakura plummeted headfirst down to earth. Twigs and branches lashed her face and cut her skin as she fell, and yet, her fear had flown away. Miss Haruno's mind had become suddenly and supremely blank, as if this descent was the release she had longed for, the end to her sorrow and remorse. As she spread her arms out wide to hug the earth at impact, she saw that her hands had been transformed. They were small, delicate, the hands of a four-year old. And the ground below her had transformed as well. Now there was a vast blanket of tiny white and yellow flowers beneath her and amidst them, a sad-eyed little boy with black hair and a crown of blossoms waiting for her with open arms. Landing at last in the embrace of her Prince of Flowers, Sakura found herself being swallowed up in sublime white light.

The first thing Sakura felt as she drifted back into consciousness was warmth, soft and tender, enwrapping her hand. When she opened her eyes he was there, hovering above her like an angel. Her Prince. Only now he was no longer a child, but a young man.

"It's you," she breathed. "Then that means… I must be dead…"

"What are you talking about, Sakura," said the Prince. "You're not dead. You fainted and fell out of a tree while we were on a mission."

"Mission?" the bewildered girl puzzled. She rubbed her eyes vigorously and looked up again. The boy holding her hand wasn't the Prince of Flowers at all. "Naruto," she sighed.

"That's right," he smiled, giving her hand a good squeeze. "Sasuke caught you before you hit the ground, but you broke your arm on a branch on the way down. Now you're back in Konoha, in the hospital. Sasuke just stepped out to get Tsunade, to tell her you're awake."

"Did… did we get Mr. Yamasaki's statue back?" Sakura asked.

Naruto gave a quick shrug. "Naw, but they'll find it. You're more important than the mission."

"Ah, I see our patient has awakened," Tsunade announced as she pushed open the door and stepped inside, with Sasuke by her side. "How are you feeling, Sakura?"

"A little confused," the girl answered. "And my arm hurts a bit. But otherwise I'm okay."

The Hokage smiled. "Well, if it's alright with you, I'd just like to speak to you for a few minutes in private. You know, discuss your condition. Boys, if you wouldn't mind."

After a moment of hesitation, Naruto and Sasuke left the hospital room with disgruntled expressions on their faces and closed the door behind them. Tsunade sat down on the side of Sakura's bed with a small sigh. The younger woman had been a student of the older for many years and by now she could usually sense when her mentor was worried. Right now her face was painted with concern as well as compassion.

"Sakura, do you remember what happened that caused you to fall?" she asked.

"Yeah," Sakura replied. "I suddenly lost all control of my chakra. Which is strange because I usually have perfect chakra control. I had actually already started to fall by the time I blacked out… Well actually, it was more of a whiteout than a blackout. Everything got all bright."

Tsunade nodded attentively. "Well, I hope you aren't bothered that I ran a few diagnostic scans while you were unconscious."

"Of course not," the young woman answered. Then she looked down at her lap sadly. "But I think I know why I fell. You see… I… haven't been sleeping much since Lee's death. I've been having these horrible nightmares. I know I should have told someone… and I definitely shouldn't have gone out on a mission being so tired. But I didn't want anyone to worry about me. You understand, right Tsunade?"

"Hmm," the wise old lady pondered, scratching her chin thoughtfully. "That might have contributed to your chakra fatigue. But I believe the primary cause was probably your pre-existing medical condition."

Sakura gasped and sprang bolt upright in bed. "Pre-existing condition? Tsunade, am I… am I sick?"

The Hokage looked at her with eyes that were empathetic but dead serious. "No. You're not sick," she said. "Sakura, you're pregnant."

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7

Warning: Drama Ahead! Yes, there will be more mystery and intrigue next time around but this chapter is all about the drama. I hope that's okay. It also happens to be the longest chapter yet.

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

**Chapter 7: "You Gotta Stop Blaming Yourself"**

"Pregnant?" Sakura uttered, in complete shock over Tsunade's revelation. "Pregnant like… with a baby?"

Tsunade nodded. "You're only a couple of weeks along, so I'm not really surprised that you hadn't diagnosed it yourself."

All of the blood had drained from Sakura's face and she looked like a trembling ghost. _It has to be a mistake,_ she thought. _I'm seventeen years old. I can't have a baby. It's just not possible._ This is what she told herself to try to ease her mind. She knew, however, that technically it _was_ possible. But it was just too unbelievable to accept without question.

"Are you sure you didn't make some kind of mistake?" she asked Tsunade. "I mean… is this one-hundred percent… for real?"

"I can guarantee you that I've made no mistake," the older woman answered. "You're definitely pregnant, Sakura. With a baby."

Sakura suddenly felt as if there was a large tight knot in her belly. She understood that the child growing inside of her had been there for the past two weeks, but now that she knew about it the world around her seemed different. She felt different, as if now that she knew, everyone else would be able to tell just by looking at her, even though she wasn't showing any outward signs yet.

_I can't believe this is really happening. I really am pregnant. Why… why didn't I even see this as a possibility? I'm such an idiot! I mean… we didn't even use protection. We weren't even thinking about it. And now… everyone is going to know. Sasuke, Naruto, Master Kakashi, Gai… they'll all know what I did to Lee. What if… what if they take it out on the baby? We'll be outcasts! I… I deserve to be hated. I can take it… But my child… I would rather die than have the whole town condemn my child as a symbol of my crime._

"Sakura?" Tsunade asked after several silent minutes had passed. "Are you okay? You haven't said anything in a while. I assume this is news you weren't expecting to hear?"

The young woman finally broke out of her frozen, unblinking state and looked up at her mentor with fearful eyes. Her voice was timid and tremulous from the weight of what she was about to say. "Tsunade, can you make it so I'm… not… pregnant?"

"Oh," Tsunade replied, sounding surprised but not judgmental. "I take it this is an unwanted pregnancy?"

The situation was too complicated for Sakura to explain, so she just nodded solemnly and said "yes."

"There is a procedure I can perform," the seasoned medical nin explained. "It will terminate your pregnancy. It's controversial. A lot of medical ninja refuse to perform it, but not me." She paused for a moment. "Are you planning on telling the father?"

"I… I can't tell the father," Sakura replied anxiously, hoping that Tsunade wouldn't ask any additional questions. She had no intentions of explaining that the reason she couldn't tell the father was because he was dead. "I'm sorry but… I don't think I'm ready to talk about it, even to you. I just… I just need you to do this procedure, get it over with."

"Sakura," the Hokage said compassionately. "Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?"

A fiery hot claw gripped Sakura's chest. She didn't really know what she wanted. She was afraid to ask herself that question because she knew she had to go through with this no matter what. And even though there was so much she needed to talk about, she knew there was nobody she could talk to. Her anguish came through in the desperate pitch of her voice. "Just… just get it out of me! Before anyone else finds out… the baby… you have to get rid of it!" She was so shaken she didn't even notice that there were warm tears leaking down her cheeks.

Without saying a word, Tsunade wrapped a strong, graceful arm around the young girl's shoulder and pulled her close. "Sakura, I think you're much too worked up right now to make such a serious decision." Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but Tsunade immediately hushed her and continued speaking. "Listen, you'll have to stay here in the hospital for a few more days to treat your injuries. Why don't you take this time to meditate on all your options? If you still feel the same way on the day of your discharge, I'll perform the procedure. In the mean time, just try to get some rest. And I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Alright, Tsunade," Sakura said softly. "I'll think about it. But I don't think I will get any rest. I haven't slept normally in so long."

The wise old woman smiled. "I'll fix you something that will help with that."

"A sleeping medicine?" the young woman stuttered. "It won't hurt the…" She didn't finish the question, but her hand was pressed to her belly.

"It's safe," Tsunade answered. She decided not to mention how odd it was that Sakura was so concerned about the wellbeing of a child she planned to abort. It wasn't her place to comment. As she opened the soundproof door to Sakura's hospital room, some raucous noise from the hallway attacked her ears and she had to investigate. Undeniably curious, Sakura got up from the bed and joined her mentor in the hallway.

The source of the commotion, it turned out, was Gai, who was staggering through the hospital and knocking into things while his helpless former students, Neji and Tenten, tried to keep him from falling over. It took a moment before Sakura noticed that there were several deep gashes in the jounin's right hand that were dripping blood in fat droplets onto the clean marble floor.

"He got drunk again, Lady Hokage," Neji said as Tsunade approached them. "Put his hand through a plate-glass window."

Tsunade sighed. "Drunk again. The poor man… That boy really was more like a son to him than a student, wasn't he?"

"Lee was very important to him," Tenten answered as she ducked to avoid the reckless swing of the drunken man's arm. "He's gotten wasted like this almost every day since Lee died. But this is the first time he got hurt because of it."

"Don't worry, I can take care of his hand," said Tsunade, putting Gai's arm across her shoulder to keep him steady. Then she turned to Sakura. "I'll prepare that thing for you as soon as I'm finished with him. Is that okay?"

"Uh, of course," Sakura replied. Gai's rowdy, drunken behavior had been so distracting that she temporarily forgot about her life-altering situation.

As Tsunade walked her new patient down the hall and into a room, Sakura's absent teammates reappeared in the corridor walking towards her. "Hey Sakura!" Naruto called. "I see you're feeling well enough to be up and out of bed. That's good. So what did Tsunade have to say?"

"Uh, well…" She was trying her hardest to sound casual. "She just said that I needed to get more sleep. You see… I was tired, and that's why I fainted. Yeah, just a lack of sleep."

The two young men remained quiet for a moment, carefully considering what she had said. Finally, Sasuke spoke up. "I think I see what's going on." Sakura's heart jolted at the thought of what he was going to say. "You're still upset about what happened to Lee, aren't you? You feel bad because you were the first to come to his aid and you weren't able to save him."

"I, uh, guess you're right, Sasuke," she mumbled. "I'm trying to make my peace with it but… I think I just need a little more time. Oh, and Tsunade said she could give me something to help me sleep. You really don't have to worry about me, you guys. I'll be fine in a few days."

Sasuke shot her a skeptical look but she managed to keep a straight face stick to her story. Naruto seemed a bit more trusting. "Well, I hope Tsunade's remedy works," he said. "I mean, I know it will, I just hope that once you get some sleep you feel better. And seriously, Sakura, you gotta stop blaming yourself for what happened to Lee. There was nothing you could have done."

"And don't forget," Sasuke added. "I'm…" He paused when he glimpsed Naruto's death glare and corrected himself. "_We're_ always here for you, no matter what. I think we're going to go back to our homes now to let you get some sleep. But you can fetch either of us if you need to, and we'll be back here to check on you first thing tomorrow."

"We'd stay here if Tsunade would let us," Naruto interjected.

"I'll be fine," Sakura reassured them. After seeing them off, she retreated back into her room with a sigh. She felt bad that her partners' departure brought her so much relief, but she knew the more time they spent with her the more likely they were to uncover her secret. How many days would she be stuck in this hospital? How long would she have to wait before she could get this procedure over with and forget that she ever had a baby? A baby. Sakura tried not to even think about that word. Every time she did she could feel her heart on fire.

She had just climbed back into bed when Tsunade burst in, seeming much more frazzled than usual, and carrying a bamboo tray with a steaming cup of hot liquid. "Sorry I took so long. Gai is really messed up. His hand wasn't hurt that bad, but psychologically he's a wreck."

"I'm so sorry," the young patient murmured.

"Oh, don't you worry about him, he'll be fine eventually. You just concentrate on taking care of yourself." Tsunade pushed the hot cup into Sakura's hand. "Drink it slowly, it's very hot. You should be feeling very drowsy by the time you finish. Now, I'm going to be returning to my office soon, but there are plenty of medical nin around here in case of emergency. And I'll see you again in the morning."

The young lady had already begun to sip the warm concoction as the Hokage took her leave and shut the door. Just as Tsunade had warned, within minutes Sakura felt herself being swallowed up in sleepy haze. She barely had time to set the cup on the bedside table before her eyelids dropped and she was lost in deep slumber.

Whatever had been in Tsunade's magic brew, it got the job done. When Sakura finally awoke from what seemed like endless, dreamless sleep her body felt like new again. Even her broken arm seemed to have healed. Out the window, she could see that the sky was still dark blue, but a pale yellow glow was beginning to rise from the horizon. This would be a good time for her to get up and walk around to ease her restlessness, now before everyone else woke up.

Clad in a plushy pink bathrobe and matching slippers, the young woman tread softly through the dark, empty hospital hallway. The doors on either side of her were all closed and she wondered how many of them had patients behind them. At an earlier time in her life, Sakura used to fantasize about staying in this very hospital when she gave birth to her first child. Of course, in those visions of the future she was quite a bit older than seventeen, and she was married to Sasuke.

_No,_ she thought to herself. _I'm making the right decision. I can't have this baby._ As she tried to force her mind to think about something else, she felt her stomach lurch and a wave of nausea washed over her. _I gotta lay down._

Luckily, she had made her way around the hospital and was back at her own room, recognizable by the fact that she had left the door open. With the utmost care not to jostle herself and aggravate her queasiness, Sakura crawled back into bed and let out a sigh. _I suppose this is morning sickness._ As she lay there with her back to the door, softly rubbing her belly and gazing furtively out the window at the rising sun, Sakura started to wonder how Lee's teammates were coping. Neji and Tenten, and most especially Gai were all suffering.

"I hope he's alright," she said aloud to herself. "Poor Gai… I wonder what he might do if he knew that I am responsible for Lee's death…"

"What did you just say?"

Sakura gasped as she spun to see who had just spoken and was confronted by the sillouette of Maito Gai framed in her doorway. "W-what are you doing here, Gai? Shouldn't… shouldn't you be… somewhere else?"

"I'm sorry," he said gravely. "I was walking by and I overheard you talking about Lee… about his death. What do you mean that you're responsible?"

"I uh… well…" She was completely dumbfounded. The only thing that rescued her from the conversation was the appearance of Sasuke and Naruto in the doorway behind Gai.

"Sakura, what's going on?" Naruto questioned. "Why is Gai here?"

Gai answered for her. "I heard her say that she's responsible for Lee's death. I just wanted to ask her what she meant."

"She just feels bad that she couldn't save him with her medical jutsu," Sasuke assured the older man. "That's all."

"I don't think that is all," Gai said accusingly. "I think you're keeping something secret and it has to do with Lee."

Hearing the commotion, Tsunade had joined the small crowd in the room, and all of the sudden Sakura found herself under the blistering stare of four pairs of eyes. The secrets that had been churning inside of her for so long had reached their boiling point and she could no longer keep them in. Now, with wet eyes, she began to reveal everything.

"Gai is right. I killed Lee." She paused as the room drew in a collective breath. "I know, he was attacked out in the woods… But… it's my fault that he left Konoha, my fault he ran away. I did something terrible to him and it broke his heart."

"What could you have possibly done to upset Fuzzy Brows?" Naruto snorted. "The guy practically worshipped you."

Sakura looked down at her lap. She couldn't stand to make eye contact with anybody when she said this. "I slept with him. That is… the night before he ran away… Lee and I… we had sex. I was really mad at Naruto and Sasuke because they left me behind. I just wanted to feel desired by a man. I ran into Lee at a party… and he was so nice to me… I knew that I could get what I wanted from him, so I invited him back to my house. He didn't want to do it… said it would be taking advantage of a woman when she's vulnerable. But I knew I could change his mind. After all, he'd always had a crush on me. I seduced him. Then in the morning I told him that despite what had happened, he and I would never be more than friends… and that I would never love him _that_ way… ever."

The entire room was dead silent and slack jawed. "Sakura…" Gai uttered. "I can't believe you would do something like that… knowing how Lee felt about you. Sakura, Lee didn't just have a crush on you. He was in love with you. And you took advantage of that. It's just so…"

"I know, what I did was terrible," she whimpered back, but Gai interrupted her, his voice growing louder and angrier.

"I don't think you do know! Because of you, Lee is gone forever! And the saddest thing is he was probably thinking about you up to the minute he died! But you! You'll forget all about him and what you did!"

By now, Sakura was sobbing and Naruto and Sasuke were trying to calm down Gai. "That's not true," the girl cried. "I won't forget about him! I couldn't!" But nobody seemed to care what she had said.

"I'm pregnant."

At last there was silence and all eyes turned back on her in disbelief. "I'm pregnant," she repeated. "And it's Lee's. But… before you say anything else, I think you should know… I… I'm not going to keep it." After that, all she could do was cover her face and weep. She didn't want anybody to look at her.

"All right, everybody out," Tsunade demanded of the visitors. "She's my patient and I say you're all interfering with her recovery. So, if you could, give the lady some space. Let's all leave her alone for a little while." And with that, she led the three men out and closed the door. In a little while she would come back to check in on Sakura, but for now she thought the girl needed her solitude.

_It's done with,_ Sakura despaired as she sobbed into her pillow. _They know now. They know now and they hate me. I could tell from the way they looked at me, Sasuke and Naruto both think I'm a monster. I am. I'm a monster, unworthy to be a shinobi on Naruto and Sasuke's team, and definitely unfit to raise a child._ She lay there crying for what seemed like hours, her brain oscillating between rationalizing her decision and wondering what her life would be like from now on.

She felt utterly alone. But then, she wasn't alone. Gently, very gently she placed her hand over her tummy. It felt strange, almost like a tingling deep inside of her. Then it intensified, the tingly sensation in her belly turned into pain, a twinge at first then becoming sharp and searing. Sakura panicked.

"Tsunade!" she shouted, though she knew the Hokage wouldn't hear her. She had to get to the door, so she rolled off the bed and staggered across the room clutching her stomach. Her fingers had just grazed the doorknob when the pain became so severe that she doubled over and fell to the floor.

Sakura didn't even know that she had blacked out until she opened her eyes and realized that she was back in bed. The pain in her stomach was now just faint and Tsunade was standing by her bedside looking very concerned.

"What… what happened?" Sakura asked. "All I remember is feeling this really sharp pain in my stomach and then falling on the floor."

"We need to talk," Tsunade said softly, taking one of the young woman's hands. "Sakura, that pain you felt was contractions. I'm afraid you've had a miscarriage."

"A miscarriage?" Sakura breathed. "You mean the baby…"

"There is no baby. It's gone."

It was the most terrible pain Sakura ever experienced. She felt empty inside, like a piece of her soul had been torn out. Why did it hurt so badly? She didn't even want this baby. Nature had simply done the job for her. Then, finally, she saw things clearly. She _had_ wanted the baby, wanted it more than she even knew, more than she'd ever wanted anything. Finally, she let herself feel what she'd been denying herself since she found out that she was pregnant. This was _her_ baby, no matter what circumstances had led to its conception or who its father was. This was her baby and she loved it. But now her child was dead. She never even knew if it was a boy or a girl. Hot tears streaked down her cheeks.

"It knew," she cried. "The baby knew what I did and it didn't want me for a mother. It knew that I was going to get rid of it. But… I never really wanted that… I didn't… Now… too late… It's dead… My baby is dead… This… this can't be happening…"

Tsunade embraced the young woman comfortingly, like a mother. She gently rubbed the bereaved girl's back as she spoke softly into her ear. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I didn't realize you felt this way. I should have found a gentler way of telling you." She paused. "But you're right, it isn't happening. The baby is perfectly fine. What you felt wasn't a miscarriage, just an upset stomach."

"What?" the girl gasped, pulling away from the Hokage and looking up with red swollen eyes. "Are you saying that this was all some kind of cruel joke? Is… is the baby really still in there? It's really alright?"

"I promise your unborn child is unharmed," Tsunade answered, smiling. "And it wasn't a joke, it was a test. I wanted you to look inside yourself, Sakura, and decide how you really felt about this pregnancy. I wanted you to see how you would feel after the baby was gone. So, did it work?"

Sakura was crying again, but this time her tears were coupled with a smile. They were tears of absolute relief. "Yes it worked. I… I want to keep it. I want to keep the baby, Tsunade. But how… How did you ever come up with something like this?"

"It wasn't my idea," she said as she moved to the door and pulled it open. Standing there behind it was a familiar blonde-haired young man.

"I'm sorry I told Tsunade to lie to you," said Naruto. "But when you said you weren't going to keep the kid, I knew that wasn't really you talking. I just wanted you to realize it for yourself. You're not mad at me, are you?"

"I'm not mad at all," she cried joyfully. And when Naruto came over to her she pulled him into a tight embrace, her tears of joy kissing his yellow hair. "Thank you, Naruto. Thank you."

In the corner of the room, unnoticed by either of them, Sasuke watched his teammates hug. He knew he couldn't be jealous of Lee for getting her pregnant. It was wrong to envy the dead. But Naruto on the other hand…

To be continued…


	8. Chapter 8

Author's notes: I hope I didn't scare off too many people with my devilish plot twist… Anyways, this chapter was surprisingly easy to write and it gets back to the monster mystery and the Prince. Most of the chapters have been from Sakura's point of view, but this one is from Naruto's for a change. I hope those of you who are sticking with this story enjoy the new chapter.

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

**Chapter 8: "Do You Hate Flowers?"**

Naruto's eyes stared up through the darkness of his bedroom, focused towards the unseen ceiling overhead. According to his clock, it was past four in the morning, and yet sleep seemed as distant as that ceiling above him. The day had simply introduced too many changes and revelations for him to quickly digest them and fall asleep. The woman that he was in love with was going to have a baby that wasn't his. It wasn't even Sasuke's, for that matter. Of all the young men in Konoha, Sakura had bedded Rock Lee, the walleyed, fuzzy-browed enthusiast whom she had once dismissed as a loser. And now she was carrying his child.

_But at least she decided to keep it,_ he thought. _Sakura would never admit it herself, but she really is the mothering type. She's always taken care of me and Sasuke. Yeah, I shouldn't worry. I mean, I wasn't meddling… If Sakura had had that abortion she woulda regretted it for the rest of her life. And it's not like Tsunade and I tricked her. She made the decision on her own._

Of course, having Tsunade tell Sakura that she'd had a miscarriage had not been Naruto's first intention. As soon as the poor girl had spilled her guts, Naruto wanted to yell: "You're wrong, Sakura! It's not you're fault! Lee didn't run off because you hurt him. He went to hunt down a creature he thought was going to kill you! None of this is your fault!" But Tsunade's order had been not to tell her until they knew more. After they left Sakura's room Naruto even begged the Hokage to let him tell her the truth. She looked him sternly in the eyes and answered, "soon."

As he remembered the exchange, hot angry air snorted from his nostrils. The longer they waited to tell Sakura what actually happened, the longer she would go on blaming herself for what didn't. Before he left the hospital and came home, Naruto had tried to reason with her that it was he and Sasuke who left her behind, driving her into Lee's arms and setting the horrible string of events in motion, but Sakura wouldn't accept it. Her teammates hadn't forced her to have a one-night stand with her friend. It had been her own selfish choice.

One thing was for sure; Naruto did not want to picture Sakura and Fuzzy Brows making love. And although he was now wishing for sleep to somehow find him, he wished equally that his dreams would not he haunted by such images. Luckily, the young man soon got both of his wishes. Despite his overactive mind, Naruto fell fast asleep and into a world of dreams that had nothing to do with the unlikely lovers.

A vast meadow of yellow and white flowers sprawled across Naruto's field of vision and the sun was so bright he had to rub his eyes with child-sized hands. The four-year old laughed devilishly at his successful escape from the Konoha Orphanage. Finally, he could have some fun. Here was a field full of smiling little blossoms just begging to be crushed. Little Naruto ran about mindlessly, kicking and stomping as many flowers as he could, ripping them out of the ground along with clods of dirt and hurtling them to either side of him. He was so caught up in his joyful destruction that he didn't see the little dark-haired boy in time to stop, and ran straight into him knocking both of them onto their behinds.

"Sorry dude," Naruto apologized, eager to get back to stomping. But the mysterious boy he'd run into was staring at him with an inescapable sad gaze.

"Why are you doing that?" he asked softly. "Why are you smashing the pretty flowers?"

"Dunno?" the blonde boy shrugged. "I just like smashin' stuff."

"Do you hate flowers?" asked the sad-eyed boy.

Naruto's nose crinkled. "They're kinda girly. But I guess I don't hate 'em. Why?"

The little dark-haired boy smiled as he looked fondly into the distance. "I like flowers," he said. "But I would rather pick them than stomp them."

"What are you, the Prince of Flowers or somethin'?"

The child just smiled enigmatically at him. "Wanna join me?"

Naruto's brow furrowed as he thought about the offer. This kid was definitely odd. But he was the first kid who'd ever wanted to play with him. The other children at the orphanage acted like he didn't exist, and even the adults he met never seemed to want to be near him. "Alright," he finally answered.

Then the most unexpected thing happened, the little boy with black hair wrapped his arms around the runaway orphan and hugged him tightly. "I'm happy I got to meet you," he said.

Naruto felt warm all inside of himself. Had anyone ever given a hug before? He couldn't even remember. But the warmth quickly dropped away and was replaced by a blood-thickening chill. All of the sudden, Naruto was alone. Even the sun had left him. And all around him, the air was dense with the smell of rotting flesh. A scream that was liquid terror tore through the atmosphere, causing the young boy's heart to throb in his chest. It seemed ridiculous, but he could swear that whatever was making this awful sound was calling his name.

"Naruto! Naaaaaaaruuuuuuuuutooooooo!"

With a violent jerk, Naruto opened his eyes and shot upright in bed, his forehead scoring a direct hit with something hard above him.

"Dammit Naruto!" a disgruntled and familiar voice growled.

As Naruto's eyes focused, they confirmed that the object he had slammed into was Sasuke's nose, which he was now rubbing gingerly. Naruto was likewise rubbing his bruised skull. "You scared me, Sasuke. Geez, why the hell are you sneaking up on me in the middle of the night, anyways?"

"It's not night, it's early morning," the Uchiha huffed. "I came to get you, Naruto. Tsunade wants to talk to both of us in her office right away. So get dressed and let's go! I'll be waiting for you outside."

With tired, clumsy hands, Naruto fumbled to change out of his pajamas and into clothes. It was a simple task, but his mind wasn't on it. Instead, he was thinking about his odd dream. That horrible smell right before he woke up was just like the monster they'd encountered in the woods weeks ago. And that strange little boy was familiar, too. Naruto frowned slightly when he realized who that kid reminded him of. _It's always Sasuke,_ he thought jealously. Once he was decently, though rather sloppily clothed, he headed out the door. And as his sleepiness wore off, his curiosity as to what Tsunade had to say began to grow.

The last time Naruto and Sasuke had visited the Hokage's quarters, they had been forced to wait a long time before she let them into her office. When they arrived outside her door this morning, however, they found that it was slightly ajar.

"Come on in," Tsunade said, sensing their presence.

Naruto pushed the heavy wooden door open and his eyes gaped at what awaited them inside. The voluptuous and stately woman was curled over her desk, on which several large scrolls were unfurled. There were scrolls everywhere, all over the floor, on the chairs and tables, and stacked several feet high in the corners of the room. "What is all this stuff?" he asked.

Tsunade looked exhausted, but she managed to smile at the young man, at both young men. "This is my research. I've been searching every document in Konoha for any information pertaining to your mystery monster."

"You mean the monster is mentioned in all these scrolls?" Naruto asked in awe. "You'd think that somebody in town woulda known about 'im if there's this much written on 'im?"

"Oh Naruto," Tsunade sighed pitifully. "These are just some of the scrolls I've been searching through. The ones here on my desk were the only ones with anything remotely useful in them. Come over and have a look."

Gathering around the Hokage's desk, Naruto and Sasuke saw that the scroll that was already open was not filled with words, but was covered in elaborate artwork. It was a very old looking scroll, probably made out of animal hide, and the art was in a primitive, stylistic technique. There were so many figures and details in the image that it was a bit confusing visually, but one image stood out boldly in the center, a huge fox-like creature with nine lashing tails.

"That's the Kyuubi!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Indeed it is," Tsunade coolly confirmed. "But check this out." From inside her desk she pulled out a magnifying lens and held it over a cluster of figures near the fox-spirit's feet.

Naruto squinted at the enlarged section of artwork. It had at first appeared to be a group of men, but now he could see that they had claws and hyena faces. "Those look like our monster!"

The Hokage nodded. "I thought so too. I managed to translate the hieroglyphics underneath them. Roughly interpreted, their name means 'The Children of the Kyuubi.' So I used that as the starting point for the rest of my search." Tsunade then unrolled another large scroll on top of the mural. "This is an excerpt from Konoha's official historical records from about seventeen years ago. Here, I'll read it out loud."

"The vanquishing of the Kyuubi has brought another unexpected reaction. Several small fringe groups have been proclaiming that the end of the Kyuubi equals an end to the Children. The Children of the Kyuubi, a race of savage beast-men who worship the Kyuubi, are believed by most to be fictitious, though their existence has never been confirmed or denied. Numerous texts on the subject have been written by…"

"Written by who!" Naruto stammered.

"The scroll is too damaged to read the rest of the entry," said Tsunade as she picked up another scroll similar in size to this one. "But I have an idea of who they're talking about. I'll read you another entry. This one is from about four years later."

"Good," the quiet Sasuke said. "The first entry really didn't tell us much of anything."

Naruto glared at the Uchiha as if he was being a terrible sport about all of this. His attention moved back to the Hokage, however, as she cleared her throat and began to read again.

"A tragedy occurred this week when a small child playing near her home was attacked by an unidentified assailant. Unfortunately, there were no witnesses to describe what happened. The little girl, who was critically wounded but not killed, was taken immediately to the home of Rock Shin, a respected healer and scientist who came to Konoha several years ago with his family. He is also the leading authority on the myth of the "Children of the Kyuubi." Luckily, he was able to perform a seal on the child that saved her life. Though he would not say what attacked the girl, he has reported that she is physically healed, but has been marked as prey. The seal, however, will keep her safe as long as she remains within the village of Konoha. To prevent emotional trauma, the child's memory of the incident has also been sealed." Tsunade paused. "And that's all I've found about your monster."

"Whoa…" Naruto marveled. "So that little girl who was attacked was…"

"Sakura," Tsunade finished.

"And the thing that attacked her…"

"One of the Children of the Kyuubi."

"So Fuzzy Brows was right," the fox-eyed young man concluded. "That thing _was_ after Sakura. Wait a minute… Rock Lee? Rock Shin? Tsunade, was this healer guy related to Fuzzy Brows?"

Sasuke snorted. "Took you long enough."

"Yes, they are related," she explained. "Rock Shin is Rock Lee's grandfather. I've asked some of my sources and it appears that after the Kyuubi was defeated, Shin came to Konoha from the Northwest, along with his son and daughter-in-law and their only child, Lee."

"Heh, I had no idea Fuzzy Brows wasn't born here," said Naruto. "But this guy, Rock Shin, where is he now? I mean, is he even still alive?"

Tsunade sighed. "As far as I know he's still alive. But he no longer lives in Konoha. He stayed long enough to see his grandson graduate from the Ninja Academy, then he packed up and left, presumably back to his homeland. He took all of his writings with him."

"That was an awful jerky thing to do," the blonde boy sneered. "Now we need 'em and he's run off with 'em."

"Can you blame him?" asked the Hokage. "Everybody dismissed his life's work as mythology and superstition. They all thought he made it up, everything about the Children of the Kyuubi."

"Well," Sasuke began thoughtfully. "There is no doubt in my mind that Rock Shin is the man we need to talk to if we are going to find out more about these creatures and what happened to Sakura thirteen years ago. The problem is that we don't know where he is or if he's even alive anymore. The question is: should we go out looking for him?"

Naruto made his opinion loud and clear. "Of course we're going to go looking for him! What if there are more of these Kyuubi Children, or whatever they're called! This guy must know how to fight back! This guy will know how we can protect Sakura!" Tsunade was about to interrupt him, but Naruto continued his enthusiastic rant. "And don't try to tell me how foolish or dangerous this is, Lady Hokage! Because I'm going! And, Sasuke, you're coming too! And so is Sakura!"

Tsunade smiled oddly at the young man, who was breathing heavily with excitement. "Actually, Naruto, I was just going to tell you that when Rock Shin left Konoha he was headed northwest, towards the Village Hidden in Snow. I thought you would need to know that before embarking on this journey."

Naruto was shocked. "You mean… You mean you don't object to this?"

"She may not," Sasuke answered. "But I do. At least to one part of your plan. This mission could take weeks, months even, will it really be safe for Sakura to come with us?"

"I didn't think about that," said Naruto. "But we left her behind once and look what happened. Now I've promised myself never to do that again. Besides, this directly involves her. We're trying to learn more about an incident where she was attacked. I just think she should be a part of it. What do you think, Lady Hokage? Is it okay for Sakura to go with us in her… er… condition?"

The Hokage shrugged. "I can't say for sure. It's something Sakura will have to decide for herself. Some kunoichi go out on missions even up until their ninth month of pregnancy. I can tell you that your teammate is perfectly healthy now. In fact, she's free to go home from the hospital today."

"Really?" Naruto asked eagerly. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go tell her everything we know! Tell her about Rock Shin and our plan! Let's tell her that she didn't drive Fuzzy Brows out of Konoha! She'll be so relieved! Come on, let's go!"

Sasuke still seemed reserved. "I'm still not sure, Naruto, I think you're getting prematurely excited."

His best friend and romantic rival grunted. "You need to learn to take more chances when it comes to Sakura."

Tsunade accompanied the two young men on their trip to the hospital. She wanted to be there to help explain the situation better if the hyperactive Naruto went too fast or got her too confused or worked up. Enthusiastically, Naruto plunged in ahead of Sasuke and the Hokage as they walked through the hospital corridor. The door to Sakura's room was open so he burst in heedlessly.

"Sakura! We have a lot of things we need to talk about with you! You'll never believe this but… Huh?"

The hospital room was empty. Yellow morning sunlight beamed from the window into the room and onto the neatly made bed. Placed carefully on the cream-colored pillowcase was a single white envelope with the words 'to Naruto and Sasuke' written across it in Sakura's elegant handwriting. Without hesitation, Naruto tore it open and plucked out a single sheet of paper. As he read the letter, his heart plummeted into his feet.

"Is this the right room?" Sasuke asked as he and Tsunade finally arrived. "Where's Sakura?"

"She's gone," Naruto uttered. "Sakura is gone."

To be continued…


	9. Chapter 9

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Author's Notes: Well, here is the latest chapter. You know, I'm not really sure what people think about this story. It doesn't seem to get a lot comments (not as many as my X fanfic), but it has gotten a lot of hits (way more than my X fanfic). I fear that people might be reading it just to make fun of how dumb it is. I guess I'm just a bit insecure like that. Well, those of you who have enjoyed the previous eight chapters, I hope you enjoy #9 as well. And, thank you to the few who have left such nice comments. It means an awful lot to me.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention it in the actual story, but after Sakura became a jounin, her parents decided to do some traveling and see the world. That's why they're nowhere to be seen. They probably wouldn't be happy that their little girl is knocked up, though.

**Chapter 9: "Is That What You'll Say At Her Funeral?"**

_My cherished teammates,_

_I suppose if you are reading this you're probably wondering why I'm not in my room. I've decided to stop wallowing in my guilt and to leave Konoha. By the time you read this letter, I will be gone. But, before I explain my reasons for leaving, I want you both to know that this is not how I would have liked to say goodbye to you. I considered a face-to-face farewell, but I knew that if I had to look you in the eyes I would not be able to go. And this is something I have to do._

_I am leaving the Village of the Leaf in order to make amends for my sin. Hopefully, I will find someplace where I am needed, where I can help people or do something good to make up for my hand in our dear friend Lee's death. As of right now, I do not consider myself worthy to live here amongst those I love, most especially the two of you. Besides, a knocked up kunoichi is probably not the most useful member of a shinobi team. I will earn your forgiveness, and become a worthy mother for my child. Until that day comes, I cannot return to Konoha._

_Thank you, Naruto. And thank you, Sasuke. The two of you have meant more to me than anyone else in my entire life. I am grateful for every day I got to spend with you. Please take care of yourselves and, please, don't waste your time worrying about me. Your own lives are more important now._

_All of my love,_

_Sakura_

_P.S. Please tell the Hokage that I am sorry I did not wait for her to officially discharge me, but that she shouldn't worry about my health because I am bringing the vitamins she gave me and will be sure that I get enough nutrition._

"Short letter," Sasuke breathed after finishing the note that Sakura had left for him and Naruto. "But, I suppose it says everything she wanted to say."

While the Uchiha appeared as composed as ever, young mister Uzumaki was twitching with anxiety. And his friend's relative calm was making him even more irritable. "Sasuke, how can you not be upset when Sakura's run away!" he spat. "I mean… We coulda stopped her! If we had told her the truth sooner we coulda kept her in Konoha!"

Sasuke's cool expression didn't change as he replied to his erratic teammate. "Naruto, she wanted to go. There's nothing we can do about it."

"We can go and find her!" Naruto snarled angrily. "And bring her back where she belongs!"

"No," Sasuke stated bluntly. "If we went in search of Sakura it would be violating her wishes. I think we should stick with our original plan. If we can find Rock Shin, the information he gives us could help Sakura once she returns."

"And what if she never returns?" snorted Naruto. "What if she never feels like she's made up for her one little mistake? Or worse, what if there are more of those things out there and they kill her? The historical record said that the seal will only protect Sakura if she's in Konoha!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes impatiently. "She's been outside Konoha many times. She's in no more danger now than she was then. Besides, we've underestimated her before, Naruto, but she's a very competent ninja."

By now, Naruto had reached his breaking point. "A very competent ninja! Is that what you'll say at her funeral? You say you love her, that you care about her, but when it comes to Sakura, you'd rather play it safe. Be as uninvolved as possible! You probably would have let her go through with the abor… the ab… well, you know, without even talking to her about it first! You know what? You can go do your own thing, Sasuke! I'll go find Sakura by myself! And don't even think about following me!"

"Fine! Go!" Sasuke erupted, uncharacteristically excited. "Go roaring off into the horizon like some blind idiot! Just don't you dare feel sorry for yourself if Sakura is less than overjoyed to see you! That is, if you even find her! She could be anywhere! You may think you're her knight in shining armor, Naruto, but you're just a moron!"

The two young men glared at each other spitefully, the sound of their loud angry breaths filling the distance between them. Four fists were curled and held taught at their sides, ready to strike at any moment. Luckily for both Sasuke and Naruto, Tsunade stepped in from the sidelines and came between them.

"Cool it, you two," she commanded, holding them back with her hands. "What good is fighting going to do? Jeez, I haven't seen you two this pissed off at each other in years."

"That's because Sasuke hasn't been such an asshole in years!" Naruto snarled contemptuously. Sasuke probably would have shot him a snarky comeback, except that Tsunade spoke up again before he could.

"Alright, I think both of you need to go home and cool down before you decide anything. Okay? I'll pass on word to the anbu to keep their eyes out for Sakura, just to confirm her safety."

"Fine!" both boys spat in unison. Then they stalked out of the room and into the hallway, exchanging occasional venomous looks. Naruto and Sasuke were so agitated, that when they ran into Neji and Tenten right outside the hospital, neither bothered to say hello or even make eye contact. Intrigued by their behavior, Hyuuga addressed his comrades before they could get too far.

"Eh? Naruto, Sasuke, what's going on? Have you just been to visit Sakura?" he asked coolly. Though they had already broken off and begun traveling in different directions, both Naruto and Sasuke stopped in their tracks and returned to where Lee's teammates were loitering.

"Sakura is gone," Naruto informed. "She left a note saying that she's left Konoha and she doesn't know when she will ever return. And Sasuke here doesn't think we should go look for her."

"Hmm," Neji nodded thoughtfully.

"Good riddance!" Tenten growled, sounding remarkably unlike the young woman they were all familiar with, and taking Naruto and Sasuke quite by surprise.

"Keep it civil," Neji muttered under his breath to his teammate. But she didn't listen and continued to rant.

"Master Gai told us what she did to Lee! How she used him for sex and then threw him away like trash! And how he was so upset that he ran off into the woods and got attacked!"

"It wasn't like that at all!" Naruto argued. "So stop acting like you know anything, Tenten!"

The dark-haired kunoichi scowled severely. "Well, I do know that Konoha and all its residents are better off without that slut!"

Tenten's fierce words triggered an immediate reaction from Sasuke's arm, but Neji's reaction was quicker and he managed to catch the Uchiha's hand before it made contact with the young woman's face. "Don't," he told Sasuke calmly. Then he turned to his teammate whose cheek he'd just saved. "Go on home Tenten. Get some rest."

Sasuke looked viciously into Tenten's dark eyes, unable to move as Neji's grip still had him immobilized. The girl's teeth were gritted in anger, but her eyes were wet with tears and already scarlet. This wasn't her first time crying today. Still, she glared back at Sasuke, something burning deep inside her. "She didn't even love him," she hissed. Then she turned around and slunk out of sight. Once she was well out of earshot, Neji finally relinquished Sasuke's hand.

"She deserved to be slapped," snarled Sasuke, rubbing his wrist. "I can't let somebody talk about Sakura like that."

Naruto, meanwhile, was in a rare state of silence. The incident he'd just witnessed proved that Sasuke really didn't always play it safe when it came to Sakura. Of course, young Uzumaki would never admit it, but he was very impressed.

"Please don't judge Tenten too harshly," said Neji very calmly. "She hasn't been well since Lee died."

"Well, none of us has," Naruto reminded.

"It's different for her," the long-haired young man explained. "Tenten… Tenten was in love with Lee."

"Whaaa?" exclaimed a baffled Naruto. "Tenten was in love with Fuzzy Brows? I don't believe that for one minute! Tenten has always had a crush on you, Neji."

Hyuuga shook his head. "I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding. It is Rock Lee that Tenten fancies. Fancied. Her feelings for him have been growing ever since we were all put on the same team."

"If she liked him for so long, why didn't she just tell him?" asked Naruto, who still seemed utterly bemused that any girl had actually been in love with Rock Lee.

"She was shy," Neji replied. "And besides that, she knew that Lee liked Sakura. She was planning on telling him though. The night before he disappeared she hosted a party specifically for the purpose of confessing her feelings. She even took me aside to tell me about her plan and I told her to go for it. But Tenten never got a chance to tell him how she felt. She never found him. I guess Lee had already gone home with Sakura. Tenten was devastated by Lee's death, and finding out that Sakura had slept with him just added anger to her grief. Then there's the fact that Sakura got pregnant and aborted Lee's baby. It's all just… too much for her to take."

"That's quite a story," said Naruto. "But didn't you hear? Sakura is keeping the baby. Of course, since she's run away she may end up giving birth in a ditch somewhere."

"I hadn't heard," replied the white-eyed nin. "But I am glad that you told me. Now, I suppose I should go and speak to my teammate. I am like you, you see. I want to be able to support and comfort this woman, my teammate, with all of my heart. The way you two feel about Sakura. So whether you go after her, or wait patiently for her to come home of her own accord, never stop loving her, never stop wanting to see her smile. And good luck to you both."

-

-

"Is there anything else I need?" Sasuke was thinking aloud as he stared at the knapsack he'd just finished packing. The first pale glow of dawn had yet to creep into the skies above Konoha, but already young Uchiha felt as if he was running late. He wanted to get out of his house, out of town and on his way west to find the mysterious man named Rock Shin. He ached to get as far away from Konoha and Uzumaki Naruto as he could, though he couldn't quite articulate why.

_He'll find her,_ he thought to himself. _If I know anything about Naruto it's that he will find Sakura out there. And that's how it should be. He should be the one to find her, not me. He's right. I've always been passive when it comes to Sakura. Even way back when I first realized how much she means to me, I did nothing, said nothing. If I had, none of this would have happened. She and I would be together. I blew it. I blew my chance to be with Sakura. Now I should bow out gracefully, let Naruto be the one to find her. Besides, what did I ever think could happen? That we could be a family? Me, Sakura and the baby? That would never happen. No, going off to find Rock Shin is the best thing I can do._

Sasuke sighed and scanned his small bookshelf for anything else that might be useful on his journey. His eyes came to rest on a small red leather-bound volume.

"My old field guide," he marveled. "I forgot I even still had it." He carefully removed the tiny book from the shelf. It had been a gift from his father for his fourth birthday and he had long since memorized its contents. Still, Sasuke couldn't help but think that it might come in handy and he moved to put it into his pack, but as he did, something small and light fell out from between the pages.

"A flower," he whispered as he turned the dried, yellowish object in his hand. He couldn't even vaguely recall having ever saved the little blossom, which had probably once been white. And yet, there was something so soothing about having it in his hand. This flower, at least twelve years old, made him feel indescribably warm inside. He placed it delicately back into the pages of his field guide and stowed it in his knapsack. Then he slung the bag over his back and headed off.

-

-

Naruto left Konoha hours before Sasuke did. Of course, since Naruto didn't have a plan and wasn't the type to make a plan before acting, he didn't have to waste much time getting himself ready. He had already put a day's distance behind him before realizing just how difficult the task of finding Sakura would be.

_Dammit,_ he thought as he jumped through the treetops. _Dammit! I have to find her! But it… it's gonna be impossible. Sasuke was right. She could be anywhere. Crap, I should have thought this through a bit more. And I haven't even run into anyone I can ask about her. Where do I even start? It's like trying to find a particular grain of sand in the desert. Sand… That's it! Maybe he can help me find her!_

At that moment Naruto decided that the first stop in search for Sakura would be the Village Hidden in Sand, where the Kazekage was a young man named Gaara. Two days later, he arrived at the gates of the massive sandstone city walls. At least he had a plan.

The streets of Suna were packed, bustling with people dressed in thick sand-proof cloaks doing their day's shopping at rickety market stalls. Naruto reassured himself that Sakura probably wasn't hiding out here on the streets. She would have stuck out like a sore thumb. It was Gaara he had come to see, and although the thick crowd of people kept him from moving very fast, Naruto was headed straight for the Kazekage's palace.

"What do you mean he's not here!" the young blonde yelled at the guard nin seated at a desk in the main atrium of the palace.

"I'm afraid Lord Gaara is away on business," the woman stated calmly. "But you know you are welcome here in Suna, Mister Uzumaki, after all you have done for our Kazekage. Would you like to speak to his temporary replacement?"

"Temporary replacement?" Naruto growled in frustration. "Fine! Whatever…"

"Well then, right this way," the guard said as she directed the young man where to go. He walked down the hallway and up the enormous central staircase. Another guard nin at the top of the stairs granted him entry through the huge ornate double doors into the Kazekage's office. Naruto gasped when he saw who was sitting behind Gaara's desk.

"Temari?" he asked. "Gaara left you in charge?"

The young woman grinned devilishly, four wild sandy blonde ponytails sticking out from her head at odd angles. "Eh, so what brings the Leaf's little fox-eyed twerp here to Suna?"

"I was really hoping I could talk to your brother," Naruto grumbled. "When will Gaara be coming back?"

"Not for a while," Temari drawled. "But what makes you think I can't help you? For all intents and purposes I am the acting Kazekage. So tell me, what's on your mind?"

Naruto really wasn't sure if he wanted to divulge to Temari everything that had been going on with Sakura. Could he trust her to take him seriously and not make fun? There was just something about her cocksure smile and dark green eyes that made him feel uneasy. Something rustled in the corner of the room, and the young man spun nervously. It was just a housekeeper going about her duties. Her black hair was tied back in a messy ponytail and she smelled like black licorice. For some reason it put Naruto at ease to know she was there and he wasn't alone with Gaara's intimidating older sister.

"Everything I say is private, right?" he asked. "I mean, the maid isn't going to tell anybody, is she?"

"All of our staff operates by a code of secrecy," Temari assured. "Now, have a seat Uzumaki, let's talk."

"Well," he began as soon as he sat down. "Sakura has disappeared and I was hoping that somebody from the Sand might have information regarding her whereabouts."

"So this is a missing persons situation?" the young woman asked.

"Not exactly," the boy replied. "You see, she sort of left this letter." He took the piece of paper out from his pocket and handed it to Temari who unfolded it and read it carefully.

"Seems to me, Sakura doesn't want to be found," she said.

"Yes she does," Naruto sulked. "She just doesn't know it yet."

Temari shook her blonde head. "You really don't get women, do you? I think you should go back home and think about why you're so determined to interfere with your teammates life."

Naruto stood up angrily, frowning at the substitute Kazekage the whole time. "You know, Gaara would have helped me. Good bye." Then he stomped out past the cleaning lady and out the door, straight out of the palace.

As soon as he was outside in the hot dry air, Naruto leaned against the outer wall of the palace and sank to the dusty ground. What Temari had said was true. He knew it was true back when Sasuke had said it, but he didn't want to admit it. Sasuke was always right about stuff like this, always calm, smart, and rational.

I should have just gone with him to find Rock Shin. That's what a smart person would have done. Why can't I be smart when it comes to Sakura? I know I'm not smart about a lot of things, but if I could just be smart about her… This must be why she's always liked Sasuke most. He actually knows what he's doing. And where do I go from here? Should I try to catch up with Sasuke? Tell him I was wrong and ask to come along? Or do I keep on searching? I… I just don't know anymore.

He sat there with his face in hands for several minutes, warm wind swirling sand around him. Then, having made up his mind, Naruto stood up, dusted himself off, and left Suna.

To be continued…


	10. Chapter 10

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Author's note- I think the next couple of chapters will focus back on our heroine, if nobody minds. Are people enjoying this story? Comments are always welcome! And thanks for the support!

**Chapter 10: "Pinky, You're Gonna Work Your Ass Off"**

There was a full moon in the sky on the night that Sakura left Konoha and it bathed the entire village in a blue glow so that familiar streets and buildings looked alien as the young woman crept back to her apartment. Sakura felt a small pang of guilt for having snuck out of the hospital before Tsunade had discharged her, but she felt perfectly healthy now and she knew that she had to put some distance behind her before Sasuke and Naruto realized she was gone.

_I just hope my letter makes everything clear_, she thought. _I need them to know that I don't want them to come after me. I can't face them. Not yet._

Back in her bedroom, Sakura was quick but discerning in deciding what to take with her. She wanted to leave as quickly as possible, but she had no idea how long she would be gone, how long it would be before she could forgive herself. She also didn't want her luggage to be too heavy and weigh her down. Some lightweight clothes, extra kunai and shuriken, an encyclopedia of medical jutsu, and the bottle of prenatal vitamins Tsunade had given her, all went into her backpack. The only thing left to consider was her leaf forehead protector that she had gotten when she graduated from ninja academy. She held it in her hands for a good minute, tracing the shape of the leaf on the metal plate with a delicate finger.

_There's really no reason for me to take it. Wherever I'm going, I won't be a shinobi of the leaf while I'm gone._

As she placed the headband back in the top drawer of her dresser and pushed it closed, Sakura saw something she'd forgotten about placed on top. It was that little white button off of Rock Lee's shirt. With the utmost dexterity, she grabbed some red string from her bedside table, bit off a length, and threaded it through the buttonholes. Then she tied it around her neck to serve as a reminder to herself why she was doing this.

She left heading westward, saying a silent goodbye in her heart to the village that had raised her. Where she had lived all her life and learned the way of the ninja. Where the two men that she loved the most would continue to be ninja without her. Where the father of her child's ashes had been scattered in the wind. It occurred to Sakura as she past stores and restaurants she had known since childhood, that when she came back, if ever, she would have a child of her own. The idea that very soon she was going to be somebody's mother was terrifying, yet indescribably exciting. For everything dreadful that had happened because of her, there was still hope in this new life that had been created. She could feel it flowing through her, the baby's tiny chakra circulating inside her body, twining with her own. Though the first time she'd felt it, it had caused her to fall out of a tree, by now she was used to it and found it to be the most wonderful sensation she'd ever felt.

The city landscape transitioned briefly into grassland, then quickly into dark dense forest, where even the light of the full moon was obscured and only shone in sparse patches through the canopy. Even for an experienced ninja such as herself, the woods at night was a frightening place. Or perhaps she was just acutely aware of it tonight because she was traveling alone. In any case, she plowed on, amidst the shifting black shadows and disembodied animal noises that surrounded her. Her goal was to travel all night and all day and not rest until it was night once again.

Dawn seemed to come early and the day passed by quickly. Journeying through the forest was scary at night, but a great advantage during the day as the trees provided cool shade from the brutal July heat. Still, by the time the sun went down, Sakura's entire body was wet with perspiration and her clothes were sticky and uncomfortable. When she came to a clean stream she decided it was the right time and place to make camp. Wading in it up to her knees, the water felt cold, crisp, invigorating against Sakura's skin. It reminded her of that day not too long ago when she had stopped to splash in the stream on the way home from a team mission. Now that day was out of reach, that feeling of utter contentment and certainty. With a small sigh she retreated to the bank and sat down, her feet still dangling in the water as she took out some bread and peanut butter for her dinner.

_I've covered my tracks well_, she assured herself. _Even though I don't think anyone will try to track me down. Well, Naruto might want to… But Sasuke will talk him out of it._ She sighed again, heavier this time, as she fondly remembered her teammates' faces. _But I shouldn't think about that now. I should concentrate on where I'm going. I have to find a place where I'm needed, where I can contribute something meaningful to world… But where will I find such a place?_

Once she'd finished eating, the young kunoichi decided get some sleep and not worry about her destination until she awoke. So she climbed a nearby tree and chose one of the thicker branches to be her roost for the next couple of hours. It wasn't the most comfortable bed, but at least she was safe and well hidden. She fell asleep quickly.

_Thunk! Thunk!_

Sakura was awakened, most annoyingly, by something small and hard hitting her repeatedly. Rubbing her eyes open she realized that it was still completely dark out and that the objects hitting her were acorns. "Wuzzat, a squirrel 'r something?" she mumbled groggily as the small projectiles continued to hit her.

"Psst, over here," a hushed voice called to her from below.

Steadying herself on the tree branch, Sakura peered down towards the ground, still trying to remain out of clear site. _Who could've spotted me? Who's even out here in the middle of the night?_ She probably would have been a lot more scared if the voice hadn't sounded like a child's. There was an opening in the leaves above her and it cast a long shaft of moonlight onto the forest floor, illuminating the intruder. The young woman gasped when she saw who he was.

"It's you," she marveled at the sad eyed little boy standing alone on the ground below her. "You're… you're the kid who's been haunting my dreams. You mean, you're a real person?"

The Prince of Flowers flashed a typically mysterious smile. "Follow me, Sakura. I know what you're looking for. I know where to find it."

"Wait!" Sakura shouted, abandoning the idea of staying hidden. But the boy had already taken off running. "Wait up! I… at least tell me your name!" By then, however, he was out of earshot and she knew she would have to move very fast to catch up to him. Hastily, she gathered up her things and took off, and in a few minutes, the little boy's back was in sight. Apparently, having such a short stride kept the child from moving too fast. Still, once Sakura was about three meters away from him she couldn't seem to get any closer. The boy turned sharply. She followed. He zigged and zagged, over some branches and under others. Sakura followed his every move.

There was something else that Sakura was beginning to notice. A faintly sweet aroma of black licorice had been hanging in the air the entire time since she awakened, and as she chased this mysterious boy, the scent was growing stronger. It filled her up like hot soup fills up an empty stomach and her head seemed to grow heavy as her limbs grew light. She was no longer thinking about her moves, they merely came to her as natural as breathing in and out. Ahead of her, the child's baggy shirt and unkempt hair swished, just out of reach.

"Please wait! Where are you taking me? Just…. Slow down!"

The boy didn't answer her, but she was drawing closer to him. Just as her fingers were barely graving the hem of her quarry's shirt, just as victory was imminent, Sakura felt the ground beneath her feet disappear and her whole body tumbling downward. She let out a startled shriek.

Sakura now found herself sprawled on the loamy floor of a deep dirty hole. Too neatly excavated to be naturally occurring, the hole was clearly a trap set by a ninja. The duped young woman growled. She'd trusted that little boy, whose face she knew from her dreams, and he'd led her right into this. What's worse was that she'd let her guard down. Ordinarily, Sakura would never have fallen into such an obvious trap.

"I'm sure glad Sasuke and Naruto weren't around to see that," she muttered miserably as she used two kunai as picks to hoist herself out of the pit. "Well, I sure hope that whoever set this trap isn't around."

She emerged from the hole in the earth, her clothes, arms, legs, and face smeared liberally with soil, and expected to see the mischievous Prince of Flowers standing there with an explanation. She would have given the troublemaker a real piece of her mind, except that he wasn't there. Instead, three full-grown ninja, whose headband insignia were not visible, were waiting for the disoriented young woman.

"Eh, well what 'ave we got 'ere?" one of them remarked slyly. "Seems a little mouse has fallen into our trap."

Sakura was trembling slightly, but she tried not to let it show. "There was a little boy, about four or five. I was following him… I really don't mean you any harm. If I'm trespassing… I'm sorry. Just please, let me go on my way."

Another of the mystery shinobi grunted contemptuously. "A little boy? Wandering around the woods at night? All by himself? This girl is mad!"

"I'm not mad!" Sakura demanded. "There really was a boy! He had black hair and sad eyes and…" At this point one of the ninja shifted and his forehead protector came into view. "You're from the Sand!" She exclaimed gratefully. "I'm from Konoha. You guys are our allies."

"You don't look like a Leaf Nin," Sand shinobi number one stated.

"Yeah, where's your headband?" number two added.

"Dammit," Sakura cursed under her breath. When she'd decided to leave her headband behind, she hadn't imagined that she would end up in a situation like this, where having it would save her from an awful mess. "I left it at home," she admitted.

"Sure ya did," the third Sand Nin said cynically. "Now, on your feet, you're coming with us."

"I am not!" she boldly insisted. But two of the men had already seized her arms and pulled her up to a standing position. And despite how hard she struggled against them, they were grown men and their strength outmatched hers.

"She's rather cute. But we'll see what the Kazekage has to say."

Sakura was fuming, more at her own carelessness than at the ninja who'd captured her. "Fine!" she spat. "But I'll have you know that your Kazekage is an acquaintance of mine! That's right, I know Gaara! And I know he won't hurt me!"

At this outburst, all three of her captors began howling with laughter. "Oh really? Well, then I guess it would disappoint you to know that your dear friend Gaara isn't in charge at the moment."

"Yep, the man's left Suna for a couple of weeks."

"And his replacement is a real hard-ass."

Their words had baffled Sakura into silence. She really couldn't think of anything she could say in the situation.

"Go ahead and tie her up," the ninja who seemed to be their leader commanded the other two. "And gag her, too. I don't want to have to listen to her yapping the whole way back."

A few minutes later, Sakura was bound, gagged, and blindfolded, and slung unceremoniously over the lead nin's shoulder. Though her arms and legs were tightly constricted, it didn't stop her from thrashing about violently and howling muffled throaty screams. She did this for hours until she was so exhausted that she fell asleep, still on the brute's shoulder. When she woke up, they had reached Suna.

Sakura's captors untied her legs and set her down on her feet before they entered the Kazekage's palace, forcing her forward with jabs from their kunai just to remind her that she was a prisoner. They walked past all the various guards and administrators without saying a word. When they reached the huge doors to the village leader's office, one of the Sand Nin removed her gag, then shoved her forward into the room and closed the doors behind her. As she was bent over, gasping for breath and staring at the floor, the impromptu Kazekage addressed her, having recognized her immediately.

"Sakura?" the leader asked. "Haruno Sakura of the Leaf? You're the one who's been robbing our citizens out in the woods?"

The pink-haired girl was a bit surprised, but relieved at who Gaara had chosen as his substitute. "Temari, I think there's been a mistake. I've never robbed anyone. I just fell into a trap by accident. Please, do you think you could untie me?"

"Alright," the blonde stated, taking out a kunai to sever the poor girl's bonds. "But I'm very curious as to how you ended up in our trap. I mean, it wasn't exactly on your daily route. You're a Leaf Ninja."

Sakura rubbed at the rope burns on her newly freed wrists, carefully avoiding eye contact with the older girl. "I've sort of run away from Konoha," she explained. "I did something I'm not proud of and I hurt people I care about… Now I'm trying to make up for it, go someplace where I can make a fresh start and do something good for people."

Temari raised a graceful eyebrow. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me what happened, are you?"

"Sorry," Sakura sighed. "At least not yet. But listen could you do me a favor? Could you not tell anyone, especially anyone from Konoha, that I've been this way after you let me go?"

The Kazekage shifted uncomfortably. Now she seemed afraid to make eye contact. "I'm afraid it might not be that easy. I like you a lot, Haruno Sakura. You cured Kankurou when he was poisoned by Sasori, and along with that Naruto kid and your other friends, you saved Gaara's life." She paused. "But our laws are pretty absolute. Legally, I can't let you go without putting you through a trial first. And that would definitely conflict with you not wanting anyone to know where you are."

"What?" Sakura gasped. "No! I can't go on trial! Is there no other way?"

"Well, there is one way…" Temari said a bit hesitantly. "You could stay here, in the Kazekage's custody until the heat dies down. I'm sure Gaara can find a way to pardon you without anyone finding out… But it may take some time, and some major loopholes."

"I don't really think I have much choice," sighed Sakura. "I'm not going to go through with a trial… Are you sure there's no other options?"

"I'm afraid not. But hopefully, it won't be for too long. Let's be honest, I'm not crazy about having a freeloader living here, but I'll try to make it as pleasant as possible."

"Then give me a job," Sakura insisted. "Please tell me that there is something I can do here! I don't want to burden anybody, in Konoha or Suna… So please, give me a job! I won't be a freeloader! I'll work very hard!"

Temari scratched her chin for a moment, considering the younger girl's request. "You certainly are eager. And we could use a good maid around here. Very well, you can start tomorrow. But I'll hold you to the claim that you're a hard worker. Pinky, you're gonna work your ass off."

To be continued…


	11. Chapter 11

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Angel Maxwell

Author's note- I realized this chapter would run too long so I decided to split it up into two chapters. I hope nobody minds an extra chapter of 'Sakura's Adventures in Sand Land.' Please tell me what you think. As always, thank you to everyone who reads my stories.

**Chapter 11: "She's Our New Maid"**

The morning of Sakura's first day of work found her wrapped around a toilet, her mop and bucket abandoned in the corner of the bathroom. She had already puked up everything she'd eaten for breakfast, but continued to wretch miserably, clinging onto the porcelain fixture just in case. Morning sickness was something Sakura knew she would have to just accept, but still she couldn't help thinking: _If Lee loved me so damn much, how could he do this to me?_

"Jeez, Pinky, are you okay?" Lifting her head, Sakura saw that the speaker was Temari framed in the bathroom doorway. "I got a little worried 'cause it sounded like you were barfing up a lung in here."

"I'm sorry," Sakura replied nervously. "I didn't mean to put off my duties, and on my very first day… I just got a little sick on my stomach. I'll get back to work in just a minute Miss Kazekage."

Temari rolled her eyes. "Okay, first of all, you have to cut out the Miss Kazekage crap. Just call me Temari, okay? Second, you've been throwing up for like an hour. You're obviously sick, and I'm afraid you might have to miss your first day."

"I'm not sick," Sakura protested. "Just let me work, please."

"Not sick… So then what gives? Are you pregnant or somethin'?" the blonde joked. The girl on the bathroom floor turned red-faced and didn't deny what Temari had asked. "Oh my god. You _are_ pregnant."

"Please don't make a big deal out of it," Sakura spoke calmly, but the older girl was now very curious.

"This has to do with why you left the Leaf, doesn't it?" she asked eagerly. "So what happened, you sleep with Naruto behind pretty-boy Uchiha's back?"

"Um, no…"

But Sakura's short reply didn't satisfy Temari. "So then it was Sasuke that knocked you up, eh? Maybe you got pregnant on purpose to try to rope Uchiha into marrying you? That would explain what you said about doing something you're not proud of. So, am I getting closer, Pinky?"

"Not by a long-shot," Sakura huffed. She had decided in that moment that she didn't much care for Temari, and would probably be counting down the days until Gaara returned. He was scary, but at least he minded his own business. "I told you, I don't want to talk about it."

Evidently, Temari had noticed the irritated tone in Sakura's voice and took a step back. "Whoa, didn't mean to piss you off. Just curious is all. You don't really seem like the unwed teenage mother type to me. But hey, no matter what the situation is, it can't be that bad. At least the father isn't some weirdo… like that freak with the big eyebrows. I mean… not to be rude or anything, but I think it might be better that the guy bit the dust before he got the chance to reproduce. 'Cause, man, those would be some butt-ugly kids…"

"Temari, please!" Sakura stammered, shocked at the blonde's audacity. "How can you say such a terrible thing about someone who's deceased? He was your brother's friend, Temari!" As she glared at the Kazekage, she had to bite down on her lip to keep herself from yelling out what she was really feeling. Her inner Sakura was roaring. _How dare she call my baby ugly! I ought to whup her ass into a bloody pulp!_

As soon as Sakura realized that she was having her first protective maternal moment, her face turned pink with embarrassment. It was an almost imperceptible reaction, but Temari's keen eye noticed. She let out a gasp of disbelief.

"No way! You and the eyebrow guy! Eeewwww! That is the most disgusting thing I've ever heard! I can't believe you humped that guy! Man, I thought you had better taste than that!"

Sakura pulled herself up to her feet. Her empty stomach was now filled with utter revulsion at her host and it felt hot and painful. Still, she kept her feelings inside. "I have work to do," she growled. And as she shoved roughly past Temari she added one last statement. "I wouldn't expect you to listen to any suggestion I give, but if you actually have a heart in that hollow chest, would you please keep what you've just learned to yourself?"

For the rest of the day, the young maid carefully orchestrated her cleaning of the Kazekage's palace so that she was never in the same room as Temari. She couldn't remember ever taking such an immediate dislike to anybody before. Even Naruto, who in his younger days had annoyed Sakura to no end, could not compare to Temari in shear insufferableness. As she moved from one huge, seemingly useless, room to the next, dusting, waxing, and scrubbing, she began to formulate an escape plan in her head. By the time she had finished her work for the day, the captive woman had made up her mind to get the hell out of this place.

Her quarters were in the basement, just a tiny, stuffy room with a stiff, uncomfortable bed to sleep on. It was already past midnight when Sakura returned to this room, but she had other things to attend to before she went to sleep. After Temari had been so rude to her, the maid didn't feel much guilt about raiding the supply closet on the third floor. Now she sat, clutching a mortar and pestle, angrily grinding some dark brown tree bark into powder.

"I just hope this stuff works for dying hair," she grumbled. "I gotta disguise myself if I'm going to get outta here. Ugh! This stuff smells awful! Of course, I wouldn't be stuck here with that troll, Temari, if it weren't for the so-called 'Prince of Flowers.' That couldn't have been him… The little boy in my dreams was kind and gentle. He never would have led me into a trap and gotten me stranded in Suna. Yeah, that was probably just some prankster from the village. After all, my 'Prince' isn't real… just a dream."

Some thirty minutes later, the results of Sakura's hair-dying experiment were less than gorgeous. She had succeeded only in turning her lovely pink rose-colored hair a murky, splotchy brown. Even worse, her hair now stank like wet, molding wood. But, it was the best she could do in so little time, and she wasn't going to let her rather unappealing disguise keep her from her great escape.

She stalked catlike through the darkened palatial hallways, pausing every time she turned a corner to make sure the coast was clear. As she neared the decorative carved wood doors of the master bedroom, Sakura was particularly cautious. Inside this room, Temari was fast asleep, taking full advantage of her brother's exquisite bed. She was about to tiptoe past but was frozen in place when she heard voices behind the doors, two of them.

_Shit,_ she thought. _I'm busted!_ As she listened closer, however, Sakura realized that wasn't the cases. The voices didn't sound angry. They sounded… amorous? One of the speakers was clearly Temari, but the other, a male voice, sounded very familiar as well. Unable to help herself, Sakura stood there eavesdropping as opposed to escaping.

"Mmm… Bambi, your lips are so soft," Temari cooed.

"Trying to sweet talk me, eh?" her companion replied. "Troublesome woman. Mmm.. But you are a damn good kisser."

"Hell yeah! So, what excuse did you give your teammates this time?"

"Just the truth. I told them I was working on 'ninja relations with the sand.'"

"Well, I guess that's one way of putting it. Now come 'ere and let me show you how we do it in Suna… Mmmm…"

"I think you've already shown me everything, Miss Kazekage. Mmm… but I could use a refresher course. Uh… Say, I don't want to kill the mood, but should we really be doing this in your brother's bed?"

"He won't find out about it. I told you, Gaara doesn't know about us. And he never has to. Now, let's get you out of those pants…"

But the young man now seemed irritated. "Temari, we'll have to tell him eventually."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I'm tired of sneaking around like this! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I want to have a real relationship with you. So let's just tell everyone we're dating and get it over with!"

"You don't know what Gaara's like! He… he hasn't been normal since the incident with Akatsuki. If he found out we were seeing each other… Who knows what he might do? I don't want you to get hurt!"

"Well, what if I don't care? Jeez, woman! You're twenty years old and you're scared of your little brother! If you're not grown-up enough to face him… then I don't think you're grown up enough to have a relationship. Now, where's my shirt? I'm leaving."

"Wait! Don't leave! Shikamaru!"

Temari's pleas were too late, though, and Sakura realized that she'd missed her best chance of escape. The bedroom doors flung open, sending a column of light into the hallway and the young made had to flatten herself against the wall to avoid being seen by Shikamaru as he stomped down the hallway.

"Wait!" Temari cried from the doorway. Her face looked sad and desperate, emotions Sakura didn't know the Sand ninja was capable of. "Just give me some time! I will tell him eventually!"

'Yeah, well call me when you actually do!" her cranky lover shouted back before vanishing into the end of the darkened hallway.

As the jilted Temari appeared to have slunk back into the master bedroom, Sakura decided to make her break. Yet she couldn't seem to get Temari's heartbroken expression out of her mind. It seemed almost like fate, therefore, when she turned around the corner and found herself face-to-face with the blonde.

"Sakura," Temari squeaked through a face full of tears. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I couldn't sleep," the Leaf nin lied. "So I was just taking a walk. Temari, are you okay?"

The older woman shook her head. "No, I'm not okay. Oh Sakura, I'm such a moron!" Then she did something that utterly shocked the young maid. She collapsed against her, sobbing, and then wrapped her arms around her.

_Is… is she hugging me?_ Sakura wasn't even sure how to react.

"Sakura, what I said to you this morning…" Temari cried. "I don't know why I said those things. I know nothing about relationships… about sex… about love… I'm in no position to criticize anyone else's decisions. I'm so… I'm so…"

Sakura was baffled. _Oh my god! Temari is hugging me! And now she's… apologizing? She's become a totally different woman from earlier today._ The pink-haired girl held her breath, anticipating the apology she felt she deserved.

"Sakura, I'm so sor… Did you dye your hair?"

Miss Haruno had already begun to respond when Temari changed the subject. "Apology accep… Whuh? Dye my hair? Oh, uh… yeah, I colored it. I wanted to look different while I'm staying here. Why? Does it look bad?"

"Terrible," the older girl replied. "But I'll help you fix it tomorrow. You need to use blackmallow powder. It's the best hair dye you can find."

"Th-thank you," Sakura answered softly, caught off guard by the Kazekage's sudden niceness. "Temari, would you like to talk about your problems? I'll listen."

Temari straightened herself out and wiped her face with the silk sleeve of her pajamas. "Don't worry about it. I'll be okay. It's late. You should try to get some sleep, what with the little one and all."

"Alright," she whispered. "Goodnight, Temari." Then she walked back in the opposite direction than she had previously been going, returning to her stuffy little room and curling up in her stiff bed to go to sleep. In the morning she found two small jars placed outside her door. One was filled with blackmallow and had a note that said, 'for dying hair.' The other jar contained some sort of ginger blend and the note read, "for morning sickness.'

Although Sakura had temporarily shelved her plan to leave Suna, she decided to go ahead and use the blackmallow to color her hair, if for no other reason, than to cover up the atrocious job she'd done the night before. With a little water, the dark powder was able to stain her hair a rich mars black. Better still, it covered the previous dye's stench with the sweet smell of black licorice, just like she had smelled that night in the woods. The smell must have been from one of the guards who captured her that had dyed his hair and not from the little boy after all.

When Sakura entered the Kazekage's office to clean it, her blackened hair pulled back in a sloppy ponytail, she felt uncharacteristically shy around Temari. There were so many things she wanted to say about what had happened yesterday, but a quiet "hi" was all she could muster. It was still early, though. She figured that as the day wore on she would find her voice, and went about dusting the mammoth bookshelves that covered the office walls from floor to ceiling. Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next.

"Lady Kazekage," the administrative ninja said, poking her head inside the door. "A Mister Uzumaki Naruto is here to see you. Shall I let him in?"

"Go ahead," Temari replied, shooting her maid an odd look.

Sakura's heart was pulsing loudly. _Naruto is here? Why? Why is Naruto here in Suna? No time to leave the room either! He'll see me!_ Her panic was slightly lessened when the scent of licorice reminded her that she had colored her hair. As long as she kept her face towards the bookshelves, she'd be fine. But why didn't she want him to find her? Didn't she want to get out of here? Sakura was sure that if anybody could get her out of Suna fast it was Naruto and all she would have to do is yell out to him when he stepped into the room. But when he entered the Kazekage's office, she remained silent, even as he desperately told Temari about his search for his runaway teammate. She just kept on dusting, trying to seem inconspicuous. Somewhere in her heart, she realized, she wanted to stay in Suna. There must be something she needed to accomplish here.

After Naruto left, Sakura still didn't say anything or turn around until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You okay there, Pinky?" Temari asked. "You seemed pretty uptight the whole time Fox Boy was in here."

"I'm fine," Sakura breathed. "But thank you for not ratting me out… and for the stuff you gave me this morning. Does my hair look better now?

The blonde girl gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Sexy dynamite, babe. But I'm afraid I'm still going to have to call you Pinky." She paused and scratched the back of her neck somewhat nervously. "Err… I forgot to say it last night… But about the things I said about the eyebrow guy and about you… I was totally out of line and I'm truly sor…"

CRASH! 

Temari's second attempt at apologizing was violently interrupted when the doors to the office flew open with crash. The quake knocked several books out of the bookshelves and onto the floor, and Temari and Sakura had to duck and cover their heads. When they looked up, a dark figure in a black hood and red face paint was standing in the doorway, fists clenched in anger.

"He left you in charge?" the young man roared. "I can't believe it! I'm gone for four days and when I get home this is the news I have to hear! That Gaara's gone off to god knows where and he chose you, of all people, to stand in for him!"

"Get a grip, Kankurou," the older sister urged. "You weren't even here, bro. I'm sure if you were, Gaara would have picked you."

"We both know that's not true!" Kankurou spat. "Gaara's always favored you over me, even though I'm just as talented a shinobi as you. Probably even better! But you, you're just a little kiss-ass! It's because you always mollycoddled him! I'd be a much more competent Kazekage than you!"

"Oh, shut up you dumbass!" Temari screeched. "For one thing, I'm older than you. Ever think that might be why Gaara trusts me more than you? And another thing, I am a way better shinobi than you puppet boy, so don't even start!"

The siblings growled fiercely at each other, and Sakura got the distinct impression that this sort of fight was commonplace between them. Still, she didn't want to have to see them rip each other's heads off, and, although it was a dangerous decision, she stepped between them before they could actually come to blows.

"Stop it! Both of you!" she stammered. "You're brother and sister and you're fighting about… about nothing! Is this how you always act?"

A significantly calmed down Temari shrugged. "Pretty much."

Kankurou meanwhile was more confused than placated. "Who the hell is this?"

"You remember Sakura, don't you?" his sister informed. "She's our new maid, I hired her this week. But you can't tell anyone she's here, kapisch?"

"Oh, so now you're just hiring people on whims?"

"Go play with your dolls!"

As the two sand siblings resumed snapping viciously back and forth at each other, Sakura got a tight, uneasy feeling in her chest. She'd decided to stay here in the palace in Suna, but was it the right decision? Could she really handle living with this dysfunctional family? And Gaara hadn't even joined them yet.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

To be continued…


	12. Chapter 12

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Author's Notes- It took a little while, but here is a new chapter. I've noticed that interest in the story has dwindled. Perhaps it is because we have reached a bit of a slow part (things will pick up really soon). I just really hope that it's not because people are offended or upset that I had Sakura sleep with Lee and get preggers. That was actually part of the plot from the story's conception (no pun intended). But I have never thought of this as a LeeSaku story. What happened between them was just an accident. I love Sakura, but she's not perfect. She can make mistakes like the rest of us. She always imagined that if she ever had a baby, it would be Sasuke's. But I think it would be good for Sakura to discover that she loves this little person growing inside her just the same, no matter who its father is. Plus, if the kid isn't Sasuke's or Naruto's, neither has that as a claim over the other. I know, a good author shouldn't justify why she writes what she writes… But I am just an amateur, and lately I just have felt worried that people might be having the same reaction to Sakura's situation that Temari had at first. Of course, I absolutely love Rock Lee so I can't see it the way others might. I am going to see this story through to the end, though.

And those who have been reading all along are the nicest of all. I can't thank you enough. This chapter just finishes up what started last chapter and gets our Sakura settled in Suna. Suna just seems kind of old world to me, like Egypt or Morocco. Writing it with a palace just seemed to fit. Next time around we will check in on Sasuke. I think it's about time he had a dream about the Prince. Don't you?

Enjoy! And please tell me what you think.

**Chapter 12: "Maybe I Should Tell Gaara _Your_ Little Secret, Eh?"**

Water so hot it tingled rained down on Sakura from a lovely brass spigot and trickled across her lightly tanned skin. She had been living in the palace in Suna for two weeks now, but this was the first time Temari had invited her to use the Kazekage's private washroom to shower so she made sure to take her time and enjoy it. It really surprised the young woman how much her body ached after a full day of cleaning, laundry, and gardening. Her ninja training kept her at peak physical fitness, but apparently being a shinobi and being a maid used entirely different sets of muscles.

_Mmm… I could just stay in here forever,_ she thought to herself. Besides the soothing bliss of suds and steam, the shower was one of the few places where Sakura knew she wouldn't have to deal with Temari and Kankurou's bickering. She couldn't help but sigh as she thought of the exasperating siblings. Over the past fourteen days, the leaf maid had the honor of experiencing at least as many fights first hand, the worst of which involved the throwing of small appliances. But from the time she spent listening to their quarrels, and speaking with the two young ninja individually while doing her rounds through the palace, Sakura was beginning to see a pattern. It was becoming quite clear that the real source of Temari and Kankurou's aggression was their younger brother, Gaara. They were both yearning desperately for his approval and affection, but were far too terrified of him to ever confront him about it. So they took their frustration out on each other.

_I just wish there was something I could do to help them. I mean… I wanna get outta this place as soon as possible, but I can't leave knowing that Temari, Kankurou, and Gaara are so unhappy. If I take too long, though, I'll be too big to do much good for anybody, anywhere._

By now, the steam from the shower was starting to make Sakura lightheaded so she decided it was time to get out. Before she did, however, she slid her hand across her slippery skin, down the front of her body, and let it rest on her belly. It was still flat, but it felt firmer. Something was definitely growing in there. But she still had time.

A shiver swept over her body as she stepped out of the hot shower and into the cool air. She took the towel off the rack and used it wipe the steam from the large, gold-framed mirror. Then she stood for a moment examining her reflection. "I am going to miss this cute body," she said to herself, wrapping the towel around her. "But I guess pretty soon it's gonna go all freaky genjutsu on me." As she was speaking, the glass surface in front of her had begun to fog over again and she had to reach over and wipe it again. Two sea-green orbs glared on the reflective surface. Sakura twisted around with a gasp, accidentally dropping the towel she wore.

"Interesting greeting," Gaara said icily. "Would you mind telling me what you are doing in my shower?"

The nude young woman was frozen in place, too mortified to move. Her tongue seemed to fill up her entire mouth making it almost impossible to speak, but she was able to croak out a few words. "Ga… Gaara… I… it's me… Haru… Haruno Sakura… I'm a friend of Naru…"

"I know who you are," the redhead interrupted, his voice never rising or dropping.

Sakura was still clumsy with embarrassment. "I was just… You see, Temari said I could and… I'm sorry… It won't happen again…" Somehow her fumbling hands managed to find the towel that had fallen around her ankles and she quickly tucked it back around her body before dashing out of the bathroom.

_I don't believe it!_ Her inner Sakura was shouting. _I don't believe it! Gaara saw me naked!_ Though her face was already bright red, her humiliation only got worse when she staggered out into the hallway and realized that she had forgotten her clothes and would have to walk all the back to her room in just a towel. It was either that or having to go back and face Gaara's frosty stare. She'd take her chances in the hallway.

It was sheer luck that Sakura didn't run into anybody as she padded barefoot through the palace halls, her tripping black hair leaving a trail of water on the floor behind her. She was almost home free back in her room when Temari sprang out of nowhere and stopped Sakura in front of her bedroom door.

"This is a bold look for you," the blonde chuckled. "But the rest of our staff might take the gesture the wrong way. So, Pinky, try to wear clothes when you're in public areas, 'kay?"

The towel clad girl, however, had been through too much today to be amused and frowned irritably. "Well, it appears Gaara has returned," She huffed. And before Temari could ask her for an explanation, Sakura stomped into her bedroom and shut the door.

With Gaara's return to Suna, Temari was demoted back to the rank of jounin. Of course, being the Kazekage's older sister did endow her with certain privileges that other shinobi didn't get. She had her own room in the palace and continued to live there, much to Sakura's relief. Ever since her run in with Gaara in the bathroom, the ninja maid had tried to avoid the Kazekage as much as possible. It wasn't just embarrassment that kept her away, either. When she looked into Gaara's cold, dark-rimmed eyes Sakura felt the same fear that his siblings did.

Over the years since Sakura first encountered Gaara, the young Sand nin had undergone remarkable change. He was no longer the heartless, bloodthirsty monster he had been at twelve, thanks to Naruto's compassion and friendship. Sakura had even been one of those who helped to rescue Gaara when he was kidnapped by Akatsuki. Still, he was a frightening young man, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of hopelessness surrounding the feat she wanted to accomplish. How could Sakura possibly help reconcile Gaara with his brother and sister when she herself was too scared to face him?

One of the tasks Sakura had adopted was serving dinner to Gaara and his siblings each night in the large dining room. They ate away from the rest of the staff and administration nin and their ever hopeful servant kept her fingers crossed that the situation would somehow lead to warm family dialogue and bonding. Much to her chagrin, these meals took place in sullen stillness. Even the fighting between Temari and Kankurou had ceased, and was replaced by silence so profound they could hear each other chew and swallow.

Late at night, after one particularly quiet Sand Family dinner, Sakura lay in her uncomfortable little bed and gazed out her one tiny window at a starless patch of black sky. "Maybe it's none of my business," she sighed to herself. "I never had any brothers or sisters, so I don't know what it should be like. Maybe those three like things the way they are. To me they just… don't seem happy."

She was about to reach over and pull the little chain to turn off her bedside lamp, when a small white rectangle on the floor by door caught her eye. "How long has that been there?" She got out of bed and picked up the item, an envelope with her name written across the front. The letter inside was short and to the point.

_To Miss Haruno Sakura, domestic servant in the Palace of Suna:_

The Kazekage, Lord Gaara, requests your presence at tomorrow night's dinner, along with his brother and sister. You are to arrive at the large dining room at 7:00 p.m.

At the bottom was Gaara's official seal, which gave Sakura the immediate feeling that attending this dinner was not optional. Tomorrow night, rather than serving the Sand trio dinner, she would join them.

Sakura hadn't brought any fancy clothes with her when she left Konoha. She wouldn't wear her maid uniform, though; just her ordinary red shirt and blue pants, along with the sand-proof cloak Temari had given her. But, in all fairness, the invitation never specified that she had to dress up. So Gaara could have no reason to get mad her. Then again, he was Gaara. Did he really need a reason?

Luckily, when the young woman arrived at the dinning room the next evening, the three siblings were already seated, all dressed in casual attire. "Good evening," she greeted as warmly as possible. "Lord Kazekage, Temari, Kankurou." Kankurou nodded. Temari rolled her eyes, probably because Sakura had just called Gaara 'Lord Kazekage.' Gaara himself remained stone-faced.

Dinner began in the typical manner, silent except for the clinking of silverware and glasses. Suna cuisine, Sakura discovered, was very spicy, and she went through six classes of water during the first course. But nobody was talking. If she wanted there to be conversation at this table, she would have to initiate it herself. "So, how was everyone's day?"

The two older siblings gawked at her as if she'd done something very foolish.

"Very busy," Gaara murmured before resuming his meal. Sakura would have to step up her efforts.

"You know, Temari did a wonderful job as Kazekage while you were away," she said. "You should feel proud to have such a talented older sister. And I've heard Kankurou is a pretty good leader too. Next time you should leave him in charge. Just to mix things up."

"It's all the same to me," the Kazekage answered unenthusiastically.

Kankurou, however, seemed quite irritated. "Can we please change the subject," he grumbled.

"Um… okay," the black-haired girl said softly. She really thought she was helping Kankurou to talk about how he felt. Maybe she would have better luck with Temari's problem. "Um, Lord Kazekage…"

"Call me Gaara, please," he said.

"Alright," she replied. "Gaara, don't you think it would be nice if Temari met a nice young man to go out with? You'd be happy for her, right? If she found someone who she really loved?"

"What?" the young lady in question exclaimed, nearly spitting out her mouthful of water. She was flabbergasted.

Gaara meanwhile seemed slightly confused. "What are you talking about, Sakura?" He paused and took a sip of water. "I suppose it doesn't really matter what I think. I can't really imagine any man wanting to date a battleaxe like Temari."

Sakura frowned. For some reason, she felt personally offended by Gaara's crude image of his sister. "Well, Nara Shikamaru doesn't think she's a battleaxe!" she spat. "He likes her plenty!"

Temari immediately leapt up from her seat in a rage, knocking her glass over in the process. "Sakura! How could you tell him that? I trusted you!"

"I… I'm sorry," the Leaf nin pleaded. "I thought if I got things started, you and Kankurou and Gaara would talk about what's been bothering you and you'd make up and then you'd all be happy. You were going to tell Gaara eventually anyway, right? I… I heard you say so to Shikamaru."

"So you've been spying on me? Is that it?" Temari accused loudly. The two young men at the table were at a loss for words as they watched the ladies fighting. "Well, maybe I should tell Gaara _your_ little secret, eh? See how you like it."

An icy claw gripped Sakura's chest. "No, please, Temari! I'm begging you! I'm really sorry I blurted out about you and Shikamaru… And I wasn't spying! I just overheard it by accident! But… please, don't tell Gaara about that! Not yet!"

"What is she talking about?" the redhead inquired curiously.

"Don't ask me," Kankurou responded. "I'm as lost as you are."

"Brothers, let me tell you, Little Miss Sakura here is no angel," said Temari haughtily. "She got herself knocked up. That's right, she's pregnant. Oh, and Gaara, you'll love this. The father just happens to be your dead buddy, Lee."

With the truth out, and Gaara's widened eyes staring at her, Sakura suddenly found herself unable to breathe and she had to get out of there. She staggered from her seat in a panic, a hand over her mouth and eyes threatening to leak tears at any moment. _Damn it_, she thought. _Why does everything seem to make me cry now?_ She was so distraught as she fled the room that she didn't notice the servant who had taken her place tonight entering with a tray full of bright red beverages.

With an ear-shattering crash of breaking glass, Sakura plowed into the poor young man. The waiter was fine, but Sakura wound up sprawled on the floor in a daze, small cuts streaking her arms and face and bits of glass stuck in her skin. Before she could apologize to the guy she had bumped into or even get up onto her feet, Sakura found herself hoisted off the ground by a pair of strong arms, and a red-haired head hovering above her.

Gaara displayed a startling level of gentleness as he scooped up the fallen girl and carried her into the kitchen then set her down gingerly on the countertop. The cooking staff had already retired for the night so it was still and quiet as the Kazekage began picking glass shards out of Sakura's arms. Suddenly, he seemed a lot less scary.

"Are you all right?" he asked calmly.

"Yeah," she breathed. "It's just a few scratches, really. I'm sorry about back there… I guess I just lost it there for a moment. I hope Temari will forgive me."

Gaara kept his eyes focused on what he was doing. "She will," he said. "Deep down she's probably glad that you said what you did."

There was a long pause before Sakura spoke up again. "Aren't you going to ask?"

"Huh?" Gaara replied nonchalantly.

"About what happened between me and Lee, I mean."

"You'll tell me when you're ready," he said. "Let's see. I think I got all the glass out, so I'll let you take it from here."

"Thanks," she said. Then she concentrated some healing chakra into her fingertips and gently touched them to her wounds, closing them up.

"That reminds me," said the Kazekage. "The reason I invited you to dinner tonight is that I have a favor to ask of you. Haruno Sakura, I would like for you to teach me medical ninjutsu."

Sakura was taken aback. She knew a lot of medical ninjutsu, but she was by no means an expert, and she had never been a teacher before. "Well… uh… I… um…" she stuttered. Her eyes wandered around the kitchen and she caught a glimpse of Temari and Kankurou peeking in through the doorway. "Alright, I'll teach you as much as I can… on one condition. I want Temari and Kankurou to join you. I'll teach all three of you together."

Gaara then did something Sakura almost couldn't believe. He smiled. It was a small and enigmatic smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Shall we begin next week?" he asked.

"How about tomorrow?" she replied.

To be continued…


	13. Chapter 13

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Free Talk- This chapter was a tricky one. It's a bit heavy on the SasuSaku fluffiness, so I hope it's not too boring. I guess this story is turning out to be a bit more romantic than I had originally planned. I kind of like the idea of SasuSaku (though I'm not opposed to NaruSaku, LeeSaku, or even GaaSaku either). I just adore Sakura. A bit off topic, I was listening to Hey Jude a lot while I wrote this chapter. Gotta love the Beatles. Please comment and tell me what you think! And thanks for the support.

**Chapter 13: "The Uchiha Boy Finally Lost His Mind"**

"Awww… Come on, Itachi! Play with me," little Sasuke pleaded, his tiny hands tugging on the hem of his brother's shirt.

"Sorry little bro," the older Uchiha chortled, patting four-year old Sasuke of the head. "I'm just too busy to play today. Why don't you go find one of your little friends to play with? It's a beautiful day out."

The black-haired tot sniffled sadly. He was too ashamed to tell his older brother that he didn't really have any friends he could play with. "But… but… Itachiiiiii…." He whimpered.

Itachi smiled apologetically, but didn't speak another word before heading out the door of the Uchiha household, leaving poor little Sasuke to play all by himself. The mother of the family came up behind her younger son and stooped down to hug him dearly.

"Oh, my sweet little Sasuke," she cooed. "I'm so sorry your brother never has time to play. But one day you will be a very great ninja too, and you'll be just as busy as he is. You should take his advice and go play outside, while you're still young and carefree."

"Okay mom," he said softly. Then he quickly put on a happy face so that his mother wouldn't worry about him, and skipped out the door.

"Stay inside the areas where I said it's okay to play, dear," Mother Uchiha called after him.

Sasuke said he was going outside to meet his friends and play, but once he left his home all he felt like doing was moping. He meandered through the intricate web of streets in Konoha, kicking a small stone for several blocks. It was the safest and friendliest part of town, full of smiling citizens going about their daily business, yet the little boy felt totally alone. He strayed away from the main streets and headed out towards the expansive meadows at the city's edge.

An endless carpet of tiny yellow and white flowers spread out in front of Sasuke. It was so remarkable he had to rub his eyes to make sure they weren't playing tricks on him. "Whoa," he uttered. "I don't remember ever being to this field before. It's so pretty." He walked out towards the middle of the meadow, taking in the sweet scent from the flowers as he moved. Then, having found a nice spot, he flopped down on the ground and lay back, letting the pure blue sky fill his eyes. "I wish Itachi was here," he sighed pitifully. He closed his eyes to stave the tears that were about to ooze from the corners of his eyes. When he opened them back up he was startled to see the round smiling face of another child above him.

"Hey there!" the young stranger greeted. His voice sounded cheerful, but his eyes seemed strangely sad. His hair was black and messy, and on top of his head was a woven crown of flowers. "You seem blue. Are you alright?"

Sasuke was at a loss for words. "I… uh… I don't know… I just came out here because by big brother couldn't play and I was bored."

"I'll play with you!" the mysterious boy chirped. "I'll be your brother today! C'mon let's go pick flowers! There's tons of 'em so we don't have worry about running out." Without any hesitation, he grabbed Sasuke's hand and yanked him to his feet, then ran through the field of flowers hand-in-hand with the bewildered young Uchiha. Being pulled along, with the cool wind kissing his face, and the colorful swirl of flowers all around him, Sasuke's heart soon felt light in his chest. When his newfound playmate collapsed in a joyful heap, he couldn't help but join him, rolling in the grass and giggling.

"You're nice," he said. "It would be fun if you were my brother, too… We could be the three Uchiha brothers! Sasuke, Itachi, and… and… What did you say your name was, again?" He looked over at the messy-haired little boy, who was now strangely silent. The sky, too, seemed to have suddenly turned somber, dark and overcast. Something warm and wet fell on Sasuke's shoulder. "I think it's starting to rain," he said glumly. "Maybe you could come play at my house, though."

Again, his friend didn't respond, but now his calm, indifferent expression had turn to one of wide-eyed terror. Sasuke turned and looked at his shoulder and was immediately just as disgusted. It wasn't rain that had fallen on him, but a huge glob of gooey, yellowish-green slime. Craning his neck upwards, the little boy was confronted by a huge, hairy snout, lined with massive yellow teeth, and dripping thick, putrid saliva. He tried to scream, but a vile, sickening odor had suddenly infiltrated his lungs, making him cough and choke.

He was frozen in place with fear. _This thing is going to kill us both!_ It was the end, he knew it. Just as he was preparing to be torn into bloody rags, however, the hideous beast leapt into the air, its dark hairy body arching over Sasuke and the flower boy, and crashing back down several meters away, sending a spray of blossoms into the air. It ran a little farther and was now hunched over something that was hidden amongst the flowers. Despite being utterly terrified, a strange curiosity washed over little Sasuke, and he had to see what the monster was coveting.

"Don't do it," the still nameless boy pleaded. "I don't want you to get hurt."

But his words had no effect. Sasuke was being drawn to where the monster crouched by some unknowable force. The smell was so revolting that he had to cover his nose with his hand and carefully breathe in through his mouth as he stepped lightly. Then he got a good glimpse of the beast. His hand dropped and he drew in one sharp, disgusting breath. There, beneath the creature's gigantic claw was a little girl, bloodied and unconscious, possibly even dead, her pink hair entangled in its gnarled talons. The sight of her crushed little body was just too much for Sasuke. His heart was surging and he thought for sure he was going to be sick, but instead he fainted. Everything became black.

And then everything was white. Suddenly yanked out of his nightmare, teenage Sasuke found himself, and everything around him covered in a blindingly white crust of snow. It took him a moment to get the full sensation of just how cold it was and he shivered madly. As he traveled further north, the weather had been growing increasingly cold, but last night was the first time it had actually snowed.

"I guess this will slow me down a bit," he grumbled. He'd just woken up, but already he felt cranky. Standing up and steadying himself on the rock that had been his bed, Sasuke vigorously beat his pants and jacket to remove the caked on snow. "Damn snow… Distracted me… made me forget what I was dreaming about before I… Oh my god! The monster! The weird little boy! The… the girl!"

The nightmare came back to Sasuke like a swift kick to the stomach. That final image of the monster bent over a pink-haired little girl burned in his brain, clear as crystal. He knew, of course, that it was Sakura.

During his waking hours, she was all that Sasuke ever thought about. He wondered, all the time, where she was at that moment and what she was doing. He worried about her health and her safety. Was she all right? Was her baby all right? He also thought about what happened that day, thirteen years ago, when Sakura was attacked by one of the Children of the Kyuubi.

"I've got to think about something else," he sighed to himself. _I keep dwelling on that day… wondering exactly what happened… It's no wonder that I'm now having dreams about it. But it seemed so real, seeing Sakura lying there… I can understand how my subconscious came up with the monster. It looked exactly like the one Naruto and I saw in the woods that day. But I didn't even know Sakura when she was that little. And that freaky flower boy… Where did he come from? I don't think I've ever met anyone like that in my entire life._

Sasuke felt like he had no time to sit around and dwell on his dream, though he wasn't exactly sure why. It was true that the snow would slow him down. But it wasn't as if he were on any sort of schedule. He'd been pushing himself, traveling at a grueling pace for weeks, maybe even months, in search of the witch doctor named Rock Shin. Honestly, Sasuke was not even completely sure of why he was carrying out this mission. Hadn't this been Naruto's mission? Sasuke distinctly recalled having objected to this whole search. And yet here he was.

At first, he had told himself that he was doing it to help Sakura, to find a way to protect her against the monster that hunted her, or at the very least learn more about what that monster was. But now, so many days away from any signs of humanity, the Uchiha's mind was beginning to churn with doubt and confusion and anxiety. As certain things became clearer in his mind, it cast other things that he'd once been sure of into shadows. The further away from Konoha he got, the more he felt like he was running away from something.

Sasuke loved Sakura. He'd loved her since they were just kids. Back then his soul had been so consumed with revenge that it took him until he was a young man to realize just how much she meant to him. Sakura had always been the one, her kind words encouraging him, her tender touch healing him, her gentle smile giving him hope. Even now, when she was miles away and carrying another man's child, he had never loved her more. He wasn't upset or disappointed in her for having slept with Lee. In the depth of his heart, what Sasuke longed for most was to be a family with Sakura and the baby, to be the man that her child would call "daddy."

Sakura loved him too. Or at least she once did. Sasuke couldn't deny the growing bond between Naruto and Sakura. The loving embrace they'd shared in the hospital was proof of that. Perhaps that was why Sasuke was running, because he couldn't deal with his growing fears that he'd lost the woman of his dreams to Naruto forever, that he'd never be part of a family with her. _If I'd only realized how I felt sooner and done something about it_, he often thought, _she'd be in my arms right now. I've lost my chance forever, haven't I? Now, there's nothing left for me but to wander aimlessly… looking for a man who may very well be dead now._

Once he was thoroughly awake, Sasuke lit a small fire using his fire breath and began to dry out his clothes. Wet clothes in subzero temperatures could kill a guy just as surely as any ninjutsu. So could starvation. As he crouched silently next to his campfire, the young shinobi's stomach made a sound like a growling tiger, reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything in over a day. His food supply was running out. He hadn't brought a large amount of food with him simply because he could always find food in the wild, and lugging it around would just weigh him down. What he hadn't counted on, though, was that food would be so scarce once he got up into the mountains. The trees were bare and the streams were frozen, not a berry or fish to be found.

Hesitantly, he pulled a salted and preserved fish from his bag and spitted it on long stick to heat over the flame. _It would be shameful to starve to death while I still have food left,_ he thought. He nibbled his meager meal slowly, trying to make the most of it, but when he finished his belly still felt empty. Then he put on his warm dry jacket and scarf, put out his fire, and slung his bag across his shoulder. Today would take him still farther north, higher into the mountains, further away from Sakura and Naruto.

It snowed virtually every day after that, the flakes growing thicker and thicker, the drifts getting higher, the winding growing so strong and cold that it cut Sasuke's face like a kunai. Even with gloves and thick socks on, his extremities were always numb. It soon got to the point that he had to stop and light a fire three times a day just to thaw out and regain sensation in his fingers and toes. Then, about two weeks after the night he dreamed about the field of flowers, Sasuke's food ran out. He was starving to death, and the clothes he had brought were no longer sufficient to keep out the excruciating cold. A desperate voice from somewhere deep inside his head kept telling the Uchiha to turn around and go back to Konoha, but he ignored it. Sasuke was marching to his death and he knew it.

When the last of his preeminent strength finally gave out, it was not as terrifying as he'd expected. The cold must have reached his brain, because he could no longer feel it on his skin. It felt warm and tingly. And his stomach, which had been empty for days, was no longer raw and on fire, but dull and warm, as if he'd just eaten a warm bowl of soup. When Sasuke finally collapsed, he didn't even feel himself hit the ground. There was nothing but white all around him.

His mind had frozen into a state of sedated, peaceful dementia. _What will they be saying back in Konoha?_ he mused as he lay paralyzed in the snow. _Ah, the Uchiha boy finally lost his mind. He's run off into the mountains to die._ He didn't really mind if they remembered him like that. Then, even his conscious thoughts shut down, and she was there, waiting for him. As he stared blankly into the whiteness, his eyelashes caked with ice, Sasuke could see Sakura waiting for him with a gentle smile and sparkling sea green eyes.

"Sasuke," her voice came lilting into his subconscious. As her form continued to materialize and her body swayed closer, he could see that Sakura was cradling something small against her red bosom. "Sasuke come here. Come and hold our baby." She continued to draw closer to him, light shining all around her head, until she was almost close enough to touch. It was too much for his heart to take. He wanted to reach out to her, but he couldn't lift his arm. Then, as quickly as she had approached him, Sakura began to retreat back into the white. Sasuke couldn't even call out to her. She simply vanished.

Once again, there was nothing but white. Was he finally dead?

Something else was coming into focus, not ethereal and glowing like Sakura, but solid and real. He was alive and he was wrapped up in a warm, dense fur blanket. There was a real face floating above him, not a beautiful, smiling, green-eyed, face, but a wizened old face, with round, long-lashed black eyes and enormous bushy grey eyebrows. It was Lee as a little old man.

"Rock Shin?" Sasuke breathed, surprised he had strength enough to speak.

The old man smiled the same way Lee used to. "That's right," he said in a slightly squeaky but energetic old voice. "And you are the Uchiha boy, Sasuke. I've been waiting thirteen years for you to come and see me."

To be continued…


	14. Chapter 14

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Free Talk: I've actually been looking forward to writing this chapter for a while. Kishimoto-sensei never explained Rock Lee's family situation in the manga (or at least hasn't yet) so I got to come up with my own version for this story. It's actually quite important to the plot. His grandpa is a rather odd fellow… says "indeed" a lot. Please comment and tell me what you think. And thank you for your support!

**Chapter 14: "I'd Like to Share With You a Bit About the Rock Family"**

"You… You know my name…" Sasuke muttered, still in a groggy daze. He felt barely alive and was only vaguely aware of his surroundings, except that he was inside some sort of cabin, tucked in a bed and buried under several blankets. Standing next to him was a little old man who bore an uncanny resemblance to Rock Lee, only fifty years older.

The old one chuckled. "Indeed, I do. I know why you are here, too." He paused, and Sasuke opened his weak mouth as if to speak, but Rock Shin spoke up again before he could say one word. "Ah, do not waste your strength on questions, boy. Not another word until you've gotten some hot food in you."

A bewildered Sasuke watched as the strange little old man ambled over to his fireplace, where a large black pot was hanging over the flames, and began to ladle out a large bowl of something steamy and aromatic. From the smell, the bedridden young man figured it was some kind of curry. Rice curry, his eyes confirmed when Rock Shin placed a hot deep, stoneware bowl into his open hands.

"Eat up," the grandpa urged. "You know, I'm quite relieved that you woke up, young Mister Uchiha. When I found you passed out in the snow I wasn't sure you'd pull through. Whoa now, don't eat too fast. On an empty stomach you have to go slow or you'll make yourself sick."

Sasuke had every intention of heeding the old man's advice, but once he took one warm, savory bite, he wanted to wolf the rest down. He didn't even particularly like curry, yet the mere feeling of it sliding down his throat and filling his belly made it the best meal he'd ever eaten. He didn't even care if it made him sick. As his mouth voraciously ate a second and third helping of curried rice, the Uchiha's eyes were hard at work, scrutinizing his odd host, and taking in every visible detail of his tiny, one-room home.

Rock Shin had probably once been a man of average height, but, like many old men, the years had shrunk him down to less than a meter tall. He had a little goat-like beard, wild, straggly gray hair and even wilder thick gray eyebrows. What most gave him away as Lee's relative, however, were his wide, perfectly round eyes, though his upper eyelids drooped giving them more of a sleepy, half-moon appearance. Despite his age, the jet-black irises gleamed like river stones and still sparked with intelligence. His smile was quaint and optimistic, like Lee's, and he was dressed from head to toe in Chinese styled attire.

His home was easily just as odd. It was a wooden cabin with the seams between the logs filled in with light brown mud, and in the middle of the square room was the large central fireplace and chimney constructed out of sheet metal. Around the hearth were assorted cushions and pillows, and nearby was a patched and shabby armchair, too small for a normal adult but just right for the shrunken Mr. Rock. Two entire walls of the home were completely covered by bookshelves, which were packed to the gills with books, scrolls, artifacts, and specimens. The bed was tucked away almost into a corner, and there was a single window above it offering a pure white view of the outside. What really caught Sasuke's attention, though, was the collection of framed of photographs arranged on a small table beside him, particularly a photo of a young couple.

"That's my son and his family," said Rock Shin, catching Sasuke off guard. "That picture, I mean. I just noticed you looking at it."

"I can, uh, see the resemblance," the young man muttered back. And it wasn't a lie. The man in the photograph was wide-eyed, long-lashed, and thick browed just like Shin and Lee. His long brown hair was held back in a ponytail, and one of his arms was wrapped around a pretty young woman with gentle eyes and a cascade of wavy raven hair. Sasuke was actually a bit surprised that Lee's mother was so gorgeous. He looked at the photo more closely. She was holding her baby in her arms. He couldn't have been more than a few months old, yet the infant in the picture was already unmistakably Rock Lee.

"Yes, Lee was their only child," Shin explained. "I'm afraid my son and his wife are both deceased now. But they were always very proud of their son, as was I. Ah, now you have some life back in you, boy. I hope you don't mind me asking you now, how is that overzealous grandson of mine?"

The last bite of curry suddenly felt like a huge jagged rock in Sasuke's throat as he swallowed. Somehow, he had totally overlooked the fact that Rock Shin didn't know about Lee's death. How could he tell this kind little man who had saved his life that his only grandson was dead? Solemnly, he set down his empty bowl and closed his eyes. Sasuke knew that if he expected this old man to tell him the truth about Sakura, he would have to share the truth about Lee.

"Sir," he said delicately, trying to be as polite and gentle as possible. "Lee is dead."

"I see," the old man replied softly. His entire reaction to the news was very subtle, his round eyes widening slightly in surprise, and then softening into a sort of peaceful sadness, almost as if the news were inevitable. "So, they weren't extinct after all…"

"Hunh?" Sasuke responded.

Shin took off his tiny half-circle spectacles and wiped them with his sleeve. "I'm talking about the Children, of course. That's what killed him, wasn't it?"

Sasuke raked his fingers into his black hair and scratched his head. "Yeah. Well actually, he died killing_ it_. But how did you know it was one of them?"

The old man didn't respond right away, but waddled across the room and pushed his fraying armchair up to Sasuke's bedside and climbed up into it.

"If you don't mind, young Mister Uchiha," he began. "I'd like to share with you a bit about the Rock family."

"Alright," Sasuke replied cautiously, uncertain of what his host would reveal.

Then, with a slight cough to clear his throat, and a small shift in his chair to make himself comfortable, the elder told his family's story. "Starting from before there were written records, the fate of the Rock family, and the lives of all its members have been intimately and irrevocably linked to the Children of the Kyuubi. Put simply, the Rock family exists to keep the Children in check. Now the exact origins of the Children are not known, but there is evidence to show that they are as old as the Kyuubi itself, which would make them thousands of years old. When they first appeared amongst human civilization, the Children seemed invincible, terrorizing villages with no apparent way to stop them. It was in those early decades that a small group of shinobi emerged who had a specialized form of chakra that, when uninhibited by the internal gate system, could be channeled into sudden and intense jutsu that could kill the Children of the Kyuubi."

During a pause, Sasuke couldn't help but ask a question that was already on his mind. "When you say jutsu, do you mean ninjutsu and genjutsu, too, or were they all like Lee?"

"Indeed," Shin replied. "The answer to your query is affirmative. The Rock family is actually known for having mastery over many sorts of ninja and illusionary techniques. Lee was quite an oddball."

_That's the understatement of the year,_ thought Sasuke.

"The very first members of the Rock family were already very talented Shinobi," the old one continued. "They were the only ones who could kill the Children, and were thus very much respect. Unfortunately, their special ability was a double-edged sword. In order to release the necessary chakra to defeat the monster, the shinobi had to open all eight gates and sacrifice his or her life. So they married young and had children right away in order to pass their specialized chakra to their offspring before they died, and their children did the same thing. So the family soon became known as the 'Kamikaze Rock Clan.' Rocks almost always die young."

He stopped when he noticed that his ward was giving him a confused look. "I suppose you might be wondering how I've lived so long," he said. "The truth is, I'm as unusual as my grandson. I never had an aptitude for fighting… a very rare occurrence in the Rock family. I realized at an early age, that the only jutsu I have any talent for are the ancient healing and shamanistic jutsu. So I became a scholar and dedicated my life to studying the Children of the Kyuubi and their connection to my own family line. My dream has always been for my family to be able to live out their lives to the very end and never have to fight another monster. When Lee was a little boy and had no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu I encouraged him to follow in my footsteps and become an intellectual. Ah, but his will could not be swayed. For young Lee, giving his life to kill one of the Children was more than just a matter of family pride. It had everything to do with that day thirteen years ago."

The old man smiled at Sasuke. "And the events of that day are what brought you up into the mountains to my home. Of course, you did not come to hear the story of the Rock Family and the Children of the Kyuubi. But the information I've given you today might help you understand a bit better what happened thirteen years ago."

Sasuke was now sitting up in bed, feeling strong and very intrigued. "Pardon my asking," he said. "But what _did_ happen that day? I know that a little girl named Haruno Sakura was attacked by one of the Children of the Kyuubi. But why wasn't she killed? And how were you able to save her? I… need to know because… because…" He paused as the ceiling above him creaked loudly.

"Because you now love this girl?" Rock shin asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Yes," Sasuke answered. "And now that I know that these monsters aren't extinct, and that they've marked her as their prey, I have to know if there is some way I can protect her. Nobody knows more about the monsters than you do. Plus, you were the one who healed Sakura that day. You were there."

"Ah, indeed," he replied. "But you were there, too, my boy. You, Uchiha Sasuke, were there with the girl when she was attacked."

"What!" the young man interjected. "But… how? I don't remember…!"

Shin chuckled. "That's because your memories of that day were sealed… by me, in fact. I'm a bit surprised that they haven't begun to resurface, actually. It was not an impenetrable sealing jutsu I used. For a shinobi as talented as an Uchiha, I'd expect that the memories would have started to seep back into your subconscious by now."

Sasuke suddenly felt a spark of excitement. "Actually, a couple of weeks ago I dreamed about that day! I was just a little boy… and I was there and I saw the monster! And I saw Sakura lying on the ground! Are you saying that it wasn't just a dream? That it was a repressed memory?"

"Indeed," Shin answered.

"Can I ask you something else?" Sasuke asked eagerly. "In my dream there was a little boy with sad eyes and black hair and he was very sweet and gentle and kind to me. Who was he? Do you know?"

The ceiling creaked again and Rock Shin took off his glasses and polished them one more time. "I'm afraid I don't remember any such child being with you that day. No, definitely not. There was another, though. But he was nothing like the boy you've described. No, he was more like…"

The old man's speech was cut off by an earsplitting sound of wooden beams snapping and splintering combined with a young man yelling as a section of ceiling fell into the house with a blinding flurry of snow and shingles. Sasuke stared in complete shock at the pile of crumbled roof and snow in the middle of Rock Shin's home. There in rubble, rubbing a bruised head and coughing, from the dust was a very familiar blonde.

"Naruto!" he stammered. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Shin seemed surprisingly calm for the situation. "Ah, Mr. Uzumaki! How nice of you to drop in! I was just telling your friend Sasuke about an incident that occurred thirteen years ago. I take it you're here for the same reason?"

"Uh… yeah…" Naruto stuttered, still recovering from his rough fall. "I was up on the roof by the chimney to stay warm and I overheard the two of you talking. I wasn't eavesdropping on purpose… it just sort of happened. And I definitely didn't mean to break your roof, Mr. Rock."

"Silly young man," Rock Shin chuckled. "Why didn't you just knock on the door and come in? You would have been more than welcome."

The blonde scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, I didn't want Sasuke to know I've been following him all this time… I figured I'd lie in wait until he left and them I'd come see you after he was gone."

"Why were you following me, Naruto?" Sasuke growled.

"Well… I…" the intruder began trying to explain. But the old man interrupted him.

"Do not fight over such things, lads," he chided. "This is perhaps the best thing that could have happened! For you see, you were there too that day, young Mister Uzumaki! And now that you both are here, we can go back to that day!"

The two young shinobi looked at each other in bafflement and then turned to the eccentric little man who seemed utterly delighted. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Naruto stammered. "Back up a minute! Sasuke and I were both there the day Sakura was attacked? And you just erased all our memories of it?"

"Not erased, my boy," the old man informed. "I sealed your memories. And that means we can go back and retrieve them!"

"Do you mean we're going to go back in time?" Naruto asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Ah, but that is impossible!" Shin chirped. "We will not actually go back, good lads. But I know a most incredible jutsu that will allow the both of you to witness every detail of that day! Yes! I shall begin preparations right away! And you two should get to work as well!"

Naruto raised a curious eyebrow. "Get to work? On what?"

"Why, fixing my roof of course!" the old man chortled. "You should be good to help him by now, Mister Uchiha. That curry I made for you was a special revitalizing recipe! Your strength should be back tenfold by now!"

"And what are we supposed to use to fix it with?" Naruto whined.

"Forest's full of wood," Shin replied. "And there are some tools out in my shed. Off with you now, whilst I prepare our memory recreating jutsu!"

The young men were not particularly happy to be put to work, not because they didn't want to help the old man, but because they were both so anxious about this mystery jutsu that they were going to experience.

"Do you think we'll be ourselves as kids when we remember?" Naruto asked as he recklessly pounded a nail with a huge hammer. "Or will we be spectators, watching from the sidelines?"

"I don't know," Sasuke grumbled irritably, holding a piece of wood in place over the gaping hole in the roof. "And be a little gentler when you hammer, okay?"

Naruto snorted. "I am being gentle! So how about that Gray Brows in there? Is he a weirdo or what? And what's with him making us work like this?"

"You were the one who broke it," the Uchiha replied. "And Rock Shin isn't a weirdo. He's actually a really nice guy who's all alone. And I think he's a lot more upset over Lee than he wants to show. Lee was his only family, you know."

"Still," Uzumaki went on. "I don't know if I can trust this guy. I mean, how do we know he's going to show us the past? How do we know he's not planning to kill us? Maybe we should make a run for it while we can."

"Then leave!" Sasuke snapped. "I don't know why you even came out here after me! What happened to finding Sakura all on your own? Did you give up already? Well, I can't give up so easily. I came here to find out everything I can about that incident and I'm going to stick around for it! I won't let Sakura down ever again!"

A low growl escaped Naruto's lips. No matter how harmful his pride might be, he couldn't just swallow it and admit to Sasuke that he had been wrong about chasing after Sakura, and that the original plan was the best way for them to help her. "I just figured you could use my help," he said.

Even though he was working on fixing the old man's roof and talking to Sasuke as if nothing really big had happened, Naruto's mind kept drifting off to what Rock Shin had told him, that he was there that day. He thought also about that dream he had the night Sakura left. Even though she hadn't been in it, the monster that attacked her had. Was that dream really a scrap of memory left over from that day? And if so, did that mean that the strange little boy with the flowers really was Sasuke after all?"

But something else was bothering him about Sasuke as well. It was the determination and longing infused into his friend's words. Naruto had a feeling lately that was getting stronger, and now he was completely convinced. Sasuke had finally gotten serious about Sakura. And that meant that he would have little chance of being with her. If Sasuke turned out to be the person who could make Sakura happy forever, Naruto would do whatever he could to make sure that it happened. He smiled wanly at his teammate. Letting go of his old feelings would not be easy.

"Come down! Come down!" an excitedly squeaky old voice sprang from below them. "Indeed! The preparations for your journey are complete! Now, young Misters Uchiha and Uzumaki, you shall re-experience the day you've both forgotten!"

Both boys dropped their tools and clambered down the ladder as fast as they could and scrambled into the house. Three large cushions had been arranged around the fireplace, which now housed a low bluish-green flame that every so often would flicker purple or pink for a moment. In front of each cushion was a small short table on which were arranged three small flasks on two of them. The third table had a single tall skinny flask. Rock Shin took his seat on the cushion behind this table and nodded for the two young men to sit at the other two.

"I hope you don't mind that I will be the conductor this experience," the old man told them, sounding a lot more serious than he had before. "Now, pick up the farthest flask on the left, the brown square one. This one will put your body and mind into a state of unparalleled calm and ease. Go ahead and drink the entire contents."

Both boys did as they were told. It was warm and slightly minty, and as soon as it passed through their throats they began to feel peaceful.

"Now drink the middle one," Shin instructed. "It will unlock the internal barriers between conscious, subconscious, and unconscious parts of the brain and allow for them to mix and swirl and flow."

Sasuke and Naruto drank. This one was spicy, like cinnamon.

"That's funny," Naruto spoke up. "I don't feel any difference. Aren't we supposed to be remembering everything now?"

"Be patient," Shin urged. "Now I will spin what is being released unseen from your minds into a genjutsu that will recreate that day from your memories as well as my own. The last bottle in front of you will take you inside the illusion… It will be like no jutsu you have experienced ever before. Now, drink up."

Sasuke drank his immediately, but Naruto hesitated. "Wait a minute," he asked. "What's in the flask on your table, then?"

The old man grinned mischievously. "Sake, of course."

Now completely satisfied that this man was a nut, Naruto drank his medicine. And the world around the two young men spiraled away.

To be continued…

-

Free Talk 2: Next time around we see what really happened that day and the true identity of the Prince. For the record, it isn't Lee… But it might be a long chapter. We'll see!


	15. Chapter 15

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Free Talk: Not surprisingly, this chapter is the longest yet. I tried to restrict it to just the details of that day, because I'm saving the boys' reactions for next time around. I hope it came out all right. Please, comment and tell me what you think. And thanks, as always, for the support, especially to those who have commented, or added this story to their favorites or alert lists or C2s. It means so much to me. Oh yes! And a very Happy Birthday to Rock Lee! November 27th… (I am writing this on the 26th) I am very sorry I had to sacrifice you to the fanfic gods, Lee… but at least you got to spend one magical night with Sakura first.

**Chapter 15: "Is Sakura Going To Die?"**

As Rock Shin's cluttered little cabin spun away and out from underneath the two intoxicated young shinobi, it was replaced by a dirty, back alley street, overgrown by patchy clumps of yellow-green grass. The crackle and pop of the multicolored flames became the hums and peeps of insects and toads that always filled Konoha's summer days, and the warmth of the fire became the warmth of the morning sun. Neither Sasuke nor Naruto could see the other, or speak to him, yet they somehow knew that they were both sharing the exact same experience.

The road meandered past a few rundown-looking businesses, probably no longer in commission, and came to an end in front of a particularly dilapidated building. It was a two-story construction of whitewashed concrete with a corrugated tin roof. The windows were almost all cracked or patched with duct tape, and the red paint on the door was beginning to peel. On the side of the building was a faded sign that read: _Konoha Orphanage_.

At first glance, the establishment seemed abandoned, but the faint drone of children's voices proved otherwise. Inside, the orphanage still teemed with life. But the witnesses did not go inside. Instead, they were taken around to the back of the building, where a faint smell of black licorice hung in the air like invisible fog. There, squatting next to a huge green dumpster, was a little boy with messy black hair dressed in shorts and a blue shirt that were far too big for his wiry little body. He was looking at something, his reflection in a piece of broken mirror that lay in the dirt.

"It worked!" he said in a hushed squeal. "That stupid junk I stole from the storeroom actually got my hair to turn black! And it smells good, too! Now I'll leave this rotten dump for good, and nobody'll ever find me 'cause they'll be looking for a kid with yellow hair! Uzumaki Naruto, you are a genius!"

Little Naruto jumped to his feet excitedly and dusted himself off a bit, and then took off running as far away from the orphanage as he could get, as fast as he could. Without warning, the view then shifted, panning across Konoha in a dizzying blur and finally settling on a nicely kept house, with a neatly groomed front yard and a small garden full of pale pink flowers.

The front door opened up and a young boy, about ten years old, with a ponytail of shiny black hair stepped out and walked off into the heart of town. He was followed a few minutes later by a much younger little boy with messy black hair, who appeared to be wearing one of his older brother's t-shirts and seemed very downhearted. As he paced gloomily away from his home, his mother called after him: "Stay inside the areas where I said it's okay to play, dear."

Suddenly, there were two things happening at once. The pintsized version of Sasuke was wandering sadly through the streets of Konoha while, at another end of town little Naruto was running away from the orphanage. Both boys were about to end up in the same location, however, a vast field of white and yellow flowers.

"Yippee!" Naruto roared gleefully, yanking two fistfuls of flowers from the ground and flinging them into the air. "I'm free! I'm free! No stupid grownups will tell me not to stomp the flowers! I'll crush 'em and yank 'em and destroy 'em all I want!" He leapt up and down viciously, laughing the whole time.

"Hey you! Don't stomp the flowers!" Sasuke snapped, causing Naruto to jolt and spin around. For a moment, both boys just stared at each other, stunned by how alike they looked. They were even dressed in nearly identical outfits, though Naruto's was considerably more worn out. Then, finally remembering that this little intruder had scolded him, Naruto snarled back.

"Who're you? You can't tell me what I can't do! So just go back to your family! They're probably looking for you!" He spat the last two lines very angrily.

"Don't you dare talk about my family, you filthy little urchin!" Sasuke barked back. "You don't know anything about them!"

The two boys stood there fuming, four little hands clenched into tight little fists. There was an air of immediate dislike between them, and for a moment, it looked like they would start to physically fight. Instead, Naruto took off running through the meadow, continuing to tear up the foliage as he went, with Sasuke chasing after him and getting thoroughly pelted by handfuls of flowers that the mischievous orphan threw. In a flurry of grass and petals, the young ones dashed deeper into the field, which seemed endless, their angry growls changing gradually over to squeals of laughter. Then, in the middle of their fun and games, Sasuke's foot caught on something and he fell face forward.

"Ouch," a sweet little voice said. As the wee Uchiha sat himself up, he realized that he had tripped over a little girl, a downright adorable little girl with big green eyes and two ponytails of pink hair.

"Are… are you okay?" a shy Sasuke asked. "I didn't mean to trip on you, I'm real sorry…"

By now, Naruto had realized that his playmate was lagging and he came over to investigate. He wrinkled his nose up in annoyance when he saw what the holdup was. "A girl?" he whined. "Come on flower boy, let's play tag or somethin'."

The girl looked back and forth between the two boys. "Are you two twin brothers? You both look alike."

"Eww no!" they both said in unison.

"We're not brothers," said Sasuke calmly. "We just met. I'm Uchiha Sasuke. I dunno this kid's name… but he hates flowers…"

"I don't either!" Naruto retorted. "And my name is Uzumaki Naruto. And I'm a genius."

"I see…" the girl responded, giggling slightly. "I'm Sakura, Haruno Sakura… Um… If you guys are gonna play tag, can I play, too?"

"Uh… sure…" Sasuke answered with a grin. But Naruto seemed skeptical.

"Do girls even like tag?" he asked.

"Of course we do," said Sakura. Then she grabbed Sasuke's hand with her right hand, and Naruto's with her left, and the three newly made friends went off to play together in the field full of flowers.

The trio played every imaginable childhood game together, tag, hide-and-seek, leapfrog, until they fell exhausted to the ground, still laughing between heavy breaths of air.

"So what should we do now?" asked Sasuke.

"Well," Sakura answered, picking up a limp flower that was left from Naruto's reign of terror. "All these flowers that are torn up… We could make daisy chains out of 'em."

Naruto made a rather disgusted face. "Aw, that's girl stuff! Me an' wotsisname here don't wanna do that."

"Actually, it sounds kind of fun," Sasuke responded. "Could… could you show me how to do it?"

"Of course!" Sakura chirped. Suddenly Naruto seemed jealous.

"Show me, too!" he interjected. "I was jus' kidding when I said it was girl stuff! I swear!"

Sakura seemed to be a master at flower weaving, as her deft hands tied together blossom after blossom as part of her demonstration. "Then you tuck that stem under the other one and…" She held up her creation proudly. "It's a crown! For a princess!" Gingerly, she placed the crown on her pink head, grinning joyfully as she did.

"Mine's not so good," Sasuke mumbled, clutching his soggy wilted mess.

"Mine either," Naruto whined, holding an even more pathetic ring of blooms.

Without saying a single word, the little girl skillfully whipped up another crown, identical to her own, and held it out with both hands. "Here, I had enough to make another, and one of you can have it. Who wants to be the Prince of Flowers?"

"I-I wanna be the Prince of Flowers," Sasuke said timidly, accepting the crown with a pale blush in his cheeks. Naruto glared enviously.

"No, I want it!" he bellowed, snatching at the gift. "Give it here!"

"But I wanted it first, so leggo!"

"Grrrr…!"

In a fit of rivalry, the two little boys yanked as hard as they could at the fragile object, rending it instantly into flowery pieces.

"You… you wrecked it," Sakura whimpered pathetically. "Now nobody gets to be the Prince."

The two little hooligans looked down guiltily, both deeply affected by the girl's sad face. "We're… we're sorry…" they said together.

"It's okay," she sniffed optimistically. "Here." Then she took the two halves of the crown and wove each one into a little loop and slid one onto each boy's little wrist. "I can be the Princess of Flowers, and you can both be the Prince."

"Can we meet here to play together every day?" Naruto asked eagerly. "You two are the nicest friends I ever had!"

"Yeah!" Sasuke agreed. "And you're not all busy like Itachi is."

"We'll meet here every day then," Sakura concluded. "We'll be the Society of Flowers, and this will be our special place and…" she paused. "Did you guys just hear something?"

Naruto and Sasuke shook their heads vigorously, but Sakura was still very convinced of the noise. She crept cautiously over a small hill and peered across the meadow, as her two companions watched her curiously. "There's something big over there," she whispered back to them. "Big an' hairy… like a bear."

"A bear!" Naruto exclaimed. "Cool! I wanna see!"

"No!" Sasuke hissed. "Bears are dangerous, dummy! We need to get out of here!"

But Naruto didn't listen, and scampered up over the hill to join Sakura, so Sasuke had no choice but to follow him reluctantly. From their new vantage point, the boys could see the dark hairy form over at the edge of the meadow, where it began to transition into forest, but it definitely was not a bear. It was far too large, and it appeared to be standing on its hind legs. The children were silent in awe.

"I think Sasuke is right," Sakura said softly. "Let's leave and go tell a grownup about this."

"We can't do that!" Naruto stammered. "They'll send me back! I don't want to go back! Just leave it to me! I'll go and kill whatever that thing is and then I'll be a hero! They wouldn't keep a hero in an orphanage… Everyone will see that I'm a great ninja, I am! I'm going to be Hokage one day, you know!"

"Orphanage?" Sasuke puzzled, scratching his head. But Naruto was no longer there to answer, he had charged out across the field towards the mystery beast and Sakura had run off after him.

"Wait, Naruto!" she yelled desperately, as her little bare feet thumped against the ground. "It… it might be dangerous! I don't want you to get hurt, Naruto! I like you!"

The little boy with dyed black hair stopped dead in his tracks and turned shyly towards her. "You… like me? Nobody ever said that before… Is something wrong? Hey… what's that smell?"

Judging by Sakura's face, something was definitely wrong. Her mouth was contorted into a terrified grimace and her eyes were so widened that white was visible all around the green. She seemed frozen with fear. A tiny croak escaped her throat, but she was too scared to make any coherent sound. Luckily, Sasuke had arrived within earshot and was able to yell the warning that Sakura could not get out.

"It's right behind you! Naruto! Sakura! Run!"

Three small pairs of legs pumped ferociously, as the children ran, their hands linked. And mere meters behind them, the monster was right on their tails, its great hairy body carried on hind legs at first, then switching over to all fours giving it a boost of speed. The children did not look back as they ran, but they could hear the weighty creature's claws tearing up the ground, and could smell the hot putrid breath that steamed from its hyena-like snout. Yet it wasn't quite as fast as the three youngsters. They were going to make it. Then something horrible happened. Sakura, who was lagging just a little bit behind the two boys, tripped and fell on her face.

"Oh no! Sakura!" Sasuke yelled, stopping in a panic as soon as he felt the girl's hand slip from his own. He turned to run back and help her, but it was too late. The ferocious mammal was already upon her, swatting her with a hideously clawed paw flinging her tiny body into the air like a rag doll. She didn't even have time to shriek before she was attacked. Now the creature had her pinned down under its front paw, and was bearing the fangs of its grotesquely salivating mouth as if about to devour its prey.

Without any thought of the danger, Sasuke frantically untied his left shoe and removed it, then sprinted madly towards the beast and hurtled the little shoe at its ugly head. It hit squarely between the monster's eyes, and the thing became enraged, abandoning the unconscious girl to chase after this new pest. Sasuke was trembling visibly, but he didn't cry or scream. He moved between the monster and Sakura's limp body, spreading out his arms to try to block the predator's access to her. Naruto, meanwhile, was standing close by, staring slack-jawed, too frightened to move.

The monster had already attacked Sakura and was now about to attack Sasuke. It let out a hideous roar, almost like a human scream of pain, flicking its disgusting spittle onto Sasuke's face, and then lunged. But it never so much as touched the youngest Uchiha. Something had come between him and the monster and saved his life. Two full grown shinobi, a man with a long brown ponytail and a beautiful woman with wavy black hair, had come to his rescue, and with them was a little boy just a bit bigger than the flower trio, with a short jet-black braid and humongous eyebrows over his round innocent eyes.

"Lee, take the girl to your grandfather as fast as you can!" the woman commanded, as her partner kept the monster at bay. "Take her friends, too. And hurry! There isn't much time!"

Lee nodded seriously, then scooped up Sakura's bloody little body, even though he was not very much bigger than her. "Follow me," he told Sasuke, and then he turned and nodded at Naruto, indicating for him to do the same. Before he fled the scene with Sakura in tow, however, the black haired woman turned to Lee with a sad and knowing smile.

"Remember, Lee, your father and I will always love you… My dear, dear son…"

The thick-browed kid sniffed, looking like he might start crying, then nodded once more and took off running, Sasuke and Naruto following tensely behind him. They left the meadow, zigging and zagging through the woods until they came to a small cabin with smoke curling up from the chimney.

"Grandpa, help!" little Lee boomed as he kicked open the unlocked door. A little man with graying hair and sleepy round eyes was sitting behind a desk inside, but immediately hurried over when he saw the bundle in Lee's arms. "The girl… she was attacked by one of the Children! Her two friends here were with her when it happened… Mama and Papa are still out there… You gotta save her, Grandpa!"

"Here, let me see the girl," the old man said rather calmly, taking Sakura from his grandson's tired arms. He glanced at Naruto and Sasuke, who were still white-faced with terror. "Why don't you get some tea for these brave young men to help them relax, Lee."

"Yes, Grandpa," he said in a shaking voice. He went about preparing the tea, but his wide eyes were focused on the little girl the entire time and he wound up spilling tea all over the front of his shirt. He finally stopped staring long enough to hand two steaming cups to his young guests. Sasuke's shook violently as he lifted it to his mouth, and Naruto seemed unable to move at all.

"What's going to happen to her?" the Uchiha breathed. "Is Sakura going to die?"

"I don't know," Lee answered. "But she's in good hands now. Nobody knows more about the monster that attacked your friend than my grandfather. Our family is dedicating to fighting them. I'm Rock Lee, by the way."

"I'm Sasuke and he's Naruto."

Naruto was muttering lowly to himself. "I did nothing… she was in danger and I did nothing… Sasuke risked his life to save her… and I just stood there, scared… I… I'm a failure…"

"Don't blame yourself," Sasuke comforted. "You shouldn't feel bad that you got scared, Naruto. Sakura isn't dead, so let's not be too sad…" He touched his buddy on the shoulder as he glanced over to the bed where Lee's grandfather was inspecting the wounds on Sakura's back. Seeing that the two boys were now much more relaxed, Lee tottered over to the old one's side.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

The grandpa patted Lee on the head affectionately. "I think you got her here just in time. I should be able to perform the seal that will save her life. But I will need the help of another person to perform it. Lee, would you like to do the honor?"

Lee's eyes darted from the pretty little girl named Sakura, to her two friends, Naruto and Sasuke. The flowers they all wore indicated a connection that Lee could not penetrate. "I'm not worthy to help you with this one, Grandpa. I think one of her friends should do it."

"What do you say?" the old man asked the two. "Would one of you like to assist me?"

"I think Sasuke should do it," Naruto said softly. "He's the one who saved her."

The boy in question was quiet for a moment before replying. "Can we both do it? We're both her friends."

"Indeed," the strange man answered. "But if you help make this seal, you both will be bound to this girl. Is that something you can handle?" Two small heads nodded. "Very well. Would you both please come over to the girl's side? Alright, now each of you take one of her hands, and I will do the rest."

Sakura was lying on the bed on her stomach, her head turned to the side. The back of her red jumper was shredded and deep, oozing gashes marred her lower back. There was blood all over her skin and clothes, as well as on the bed sheets, the old man's hands, and little Lee's shirt. Both little boys were quivering, but they gripped onto her limp hands without hesitation. Then the man took out a tiny clay jar and a brush and began to paint the intricate seal around Sakura's wound. He then took out another jar, and sprinkled some of its powdery contents into the open slashes. To finish things up, he touched two fingertips to Sakura's back and the ragged edges of the cuts began to fuse back together. The kids holding her hands gasped. Neither had ever seen this kind of jutsu before.

"There, you may let go now," the old man told them. "And I feel terribly rude that I forgot to introduce myself earlier to you. I am Rock Shin and I am a healer. Because of you, your little friend here should be okay." Gently, he rolled Sakura over onto her back and tucked a thick quilt around her. He looked like he was about to say something else, when somebody knocked on his door. "You two stay by her side while I get the door."

When the door opened, it revealed the Hokage, the third Hokage, waiting with a pensive expression. "May I come in, Shin?" he asked.

"Of course, of course," Shin answered, ushering him in.

"The monster is dead," the Third informed right away. "But so are your son and daughter-in-law." From somewhere in the room came a small gasp of horror from Lee before the Hokage continued. "Is it true that a civilian was attacked?"

"Indeed," Shin sighed. "Haruno Sakura, just four years old. But she will live, thanks to Shen and Mei's intervention… and thanks to her friends here… and Lee, of course. Her parents should be notified right away, though, as well as the Uchihas. And we should tell the orphanage that Naruto is alright."

"Hmm… From your tone, Shin, I suspect that there is more to this situation then you are telling me," the Third said thoughtfully.

Shin looked down sadly. "The Children of the Kyuubi cannot stand it when their prey gets away. They will want to kill young Sakura for the rest of her life… Indeed, their strength has been weakening since the fall of the Kyuubi." He paused and glanced over at Naruto. "This one may well have been the last of their kind. The seal I have performed will keep her protected as long as she stays within Konoha. And she will be protected if Uzumaki and the Uchiha boy are with her. But if the Children still exist and she ever leaves Konoha on her own, Sakura will be in danger."

"I won't let them get her!" a little voice roared.

"Lee, how long have you been listening to us grownups talk?" Shin asked.

Lee's face was drenched in tears and his small hands were clutching the hem of his shirt. "I… I heard everything, Grandpa. Are… are Mama and Papa really dead?"

"I'm afraid so," his grandfather sighed.

"Well, I won't let them get Sakura, too!" he cried. "I'll become a great ninja and I'll beat anyone who tries to hurt her! I hate the Children more than anything! They kill people for no reason! Mama and Papa may be dead but… I… I'll protect that girl with my life if I have to!"

Shin hugged his grandson close. "Calm down, Lee. I know you're very upset right now because of what happened to your parents. Why don't you go and sit with Sakura and her friends now?"

"Okay," Lee sniffled, and walked over to the bed.

"Now," the Third continued. "There are a few more issues I'd like to discuss. I don't want this incident to cause widespread panic amongst the residents of our dear village. And won't these children be traumatized?"

"I plan to seal their memories before they leave my home," Shin answered. "I will erase the girl's permanently as her experience was the most traumatic, but the others I will seal only lightly, so that one day they may remember. Word of the incident will be contained and I will keep a particularly close watch along the perimeter of Konoha. The Children live solitarily, though. This one was probably just lost and disoriented. So the chance of another attack is unlikely. Still, I suggest that when the time comes, these three be put on the same team."

"I will consider it," the Hokage said with a nod. "Now I have some important calls to make. Rock Shin, I cannot thank you enough for you and your family's contribution to our village. And I am terribly sorry for your loss. Those two will be missed."

"Thank you," Shin said, as the Third left, then he went over to the four young children, who were all now on the bed. Sakura was still asleep, and Sasuke was stroking her hair, which still had the crown of flowers in it. Naruto was holding her hand, and Lee was sitting at the foot of the bed, staring sadly at the other three.

"Young ones," Rock Shin said softly. "You've all had a very traumatic day today, but I will make you forget all about it. I'm afraid I have to erase all of your memories of this day. That includes you too, Lee. But don't worry, you'll all be a lot happier if you forget."

"I understand," Lee said morosely, pulling his knees up to his chest. "Can… can I just do one thing, first? Can you bring me a pen and paper please, Grandpa?"

"Indeed," he answered, hastily fetching the requested items. "Why do you need them?"

"I want to write down my nindo, just in case I forget it when you erase my memories."

"I want to do that too," Sasuke said.

"Me too," Naruto added.

Lee tore the piece of parchment into three pieces and the three boys took turns using the pen and writing down their chosen path in childish scrawls. When they had all finished, they tucked their nindo into their pockets, and Rock Shin performed the jutsu that would put them each to sleep and seal their memories of the day, of the hideous beast that attacked them, and of the friendship they had made. Even though Naruto and Sasuke fell asleep snuggled on either side of Sakura, with Rock Lee curled up by their feet, when they awoke back in their own homes, they would not remember that they had ever met.

The last thing that appeared was the children's parents, and a shinobi from the orphanage coming to carry the sleeping children away, the Princess and two Princes still wearing their crowns and bracelets. Then the scene began to swirl away, and Rock Shin's cabin in Konoha was replaced by his cabin in the mountains far to the North.

Sasuke and Naruto, back in their physical bodies in the present world, sat there in silence for a moment, their faces drenched in sweat. Then they both spoke up in unison, pointing at each other.

"The Prince of Flowers was… You?"

To be continued…


	16. Chapter 16

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Free Talk: This chapter came out really easily, which I'm not sure if it is a good thing or a bad thing. In any case, it is the reaction to the revelations from last chapter. There is a bit of Q & A… meant to answer questions and tie up loose ends. I hope it came out okay. Also, I think it is a bit interesting (to me, at least) that this story has really become more romance oriented than I originally planned. It was originally going to be somewhat neutral, but it seems to have a mind of its own and has decided to become SasuSaku. That's just fine by me. It's a pairing I really like. I am quite flexible, but generally speaking SasuSaku, NaruHina, LeeTen, and ShikaTema are my favorite couples in Naruto. Next time around we'll check back in on Sakura and the Sand Sibs… she's probably getting pretty big by now. And please pardon my excessive use of ellipses (…). For some reason I write dialogue like that. As always, thank you for the support. Please comment and tell me what you think!

**Chapter 16: "You Were a Lot Nicer In My Dream"**

"The Prince of Flowers was… You?"

Sasuke and Naruto had both uttered the same accusing sentence, but were now left in a state of shocked silence, each staring slack-jawed at the other, still shaken to the core by the horrifyingly real vision they'd just experienced. They both seemed to understand, however, that there was nothing that either of them could say to begin talking about Rock Shin's remarkable genjutsu. Therefore, it came upon the old man himself to open up the lines of conversation.

"Indeed, indeed," he drawled curiously. "So I take it that the memories of your past encounter had already begun to seep back in, eh? Even before I showed you what happened?"

"Yeah," Sasuke replied breathlessly. "The dream I told you about… That weird little boy I mentioned… It… it was Naruto all along."

"And I had a dream a while back, too," Naruto added. "And there was a strange kid in my dream, as well. I actually sorta suspected that it was Sasuke already but…" He paused and then continued a bit more thoughtfully. "It wasn't exactly like what we just saw. Sasuke, he was a lot nicer in my dream, didn't bother me about stomping the flowers or anything… I think he even hugged me."

"Hmm," Sasuke pondered. "That's interesting, because you were a lot nicer in my dream than in the vision, too. Mr. Rock, why do you think that is? I mean, which interpretation is accurate?"

Rock Shin chuckled. "That's an excellent question, young Mister Uchiha. You see, the subconscious mind tends to put a rosy spin on not-so-pleasant thoughts. Certainly, your friend being attacked by a monster was a gruesome ordeal, so your subconscious tried to compensate by making the other details more positive. The truth of that day, however, was just what I have shown you. This jutsu digs much deeper into the mind and heart than any dream could."

The two teenagers' bodies, which they had been holding tight and rigid since they awoke, finally relaxed once more. Sasuke dragged a hand across his forehead, which was sweaty from the fire, and raked his fingers through his black bangs.

"That definitely is what happened thirteen years ago," he marveled. "When I was watching it, watching my childhood self, I could feel the memories coming back. Not just what happened, but what I was thinking and feeling… how scared I was…"

"It was so surreal," Naruto remarked. "How did you ever learn a jutsu like that, Gray Brows?"

"That's an interesting nickname," Shin Replied. "Ah, but I have spent my years studying ancient texts to learn such jutsu. What I have come to believe, though, is that such jutsu are only as useful as the secrets they reveal. So now I must ask you, has this journey been an enlightening one, my friends?"

"Yes, very much so!" Naruto answered enthusiastically. "It answered so many questions about the dreams and about the monsters. It even explained why Fuzz… why your grandson was so obsessed with protecting Sakura for no apparent reason. He must have written it down on that piece of paper!"

While Naruto had suddenly become very excited, Sasuke had retreated into quiet meditation, eyes closed, in typical Sasuke fashion. "To be honest," he finally began to speak. "As illuminating as this trip to the past was, it seems to have provided more questions than answers. Like, I remember writing down my nindo on a scrap of parchment, but I don't think I ever came across it again…"

"But things do get lost," Shin explained. "Especially in the hands of one so young."

"Well, how come I've never stumbled across that meadow of flowers again?" Sasuke asked. "It seems very odd that such a vast and beautiful place could exist around Konoha without anybody knowing about it."

"Yeah, that is strange," Naruto agreed before releasing a long pent up yawn.

The old man's black beetle-like eyes twinkled again beneath his massive gray eyebrows, indicating that he had another tidbit of wisdom to share. "It is quite easy to never find something that you aren't looking for. Indeed, though, you boys do still seem a bit sleepy. Let me just fetch you something invigorating to wake you up."

As soon as the little old man waddled across the room to fetch the drinks, the young men were silent again, a heavy awkward feeling between them once more, each unsure of what the other was really thinking. They were lost in their own thoughts, oblivious to the fact that it was now dark outside and the snowfall had become even thicker. Naruto really was still drowsy, but his uncharacteristic quietness was for a different reason. As he sat, slumped on the floor of Lee's grandfather's tiny mountain cabin, his brain began to relive that one scene from the long ago day: himself paralyzed with fear while Sasuke went to protect Sakura. As the thought churned over and over in the blonde's head, he could feel white-hot shame bubbling up inside of him, and he didn't want Sasuke to see it.

Sasuke's mind, meanwhile, was now focused on a different day: the day that Rock Lee killed one of the Children of the Kyuubi, magnificently and grotesquely, right before his and Naruto's eyes. Something wasn't adding up in the Uchiha's astute mind, but he waited until old Shin tottered back in with two corked glass bottles in his hands before bringing it up.

"Mr. Rock," Sasuke began, as the old man handed him a cold blue bottle. "Is there some way that the members of your family can sense the presence of one of the Children being near by? Because when Lee fought this thing…" Sasuke had to stop for a moment and remind himself to be gentle with the details of Lee's death. " He just showed up out of nowhere. Naruto and I were the only ones who had been told anything about the monster, yet Lee seemed to know exactly where to find it. And he knew that it was looking for Sakura."

"There is a certain sixth sense we Rocks have," Shin answered with a cluck of his tongue. "But it is something that must be honed and developed over the years. Lee never had such training, so he probably did not have the sixth sense. Or if he did, he did not know what it was he was sensing. I'm afraid there are certain things that I kept from my grandson for many years… You see, when I sealed his memories of that day, I also sealed away everything he'd ever learned about the Children of the Kyuubi. It was selfish of me, really. If there were any of those damnable creatures left, I didn't want Lee to just throw his life away on them. I didn't want to lose my only grandson the same way I lost my only son. Ah… but in the end it made no difference…"

With a heavy sigh, the old man collapsed into his squashy little chair, sending a fine cloud of dust into the air around him. His two guests could feel the sadness and loneliness in his voice and body language, and for the first time they realized just how pitiful his life must be. Sasuke took a deep swig of beverage before he made any sort of response. It was somewhat sweet, very fizzy, and very cold, and it made tiny tingles of sensation swim over his skin. No wonder Naruto was almost finished with his.

"You say they marked Sakura as their prey," the Uchiha said. "Is it a physical mark? Could Lee have seen it on her and remembered what had been sealed?"

Shin tweaked his little goat beard thoughtfully. "Indeed, the scar left by the monster was sealed, but it will become visible when the Children are near. And, indeed, seeing such a mark is exactly the sort of thing that might trigger a spontaneous memory recovery… But I do not think it is a likely scenario."

"Why not?" Sasuke replied inquiringly.

"Because the scar is very low on Sakura's back," said the old man. "It's very unlikely that Lee would have been able to see it while Sakura had clothes on… he would probably have had to see her naked…"

A hideous choking sound immediately stole Shin and Sasuke's attention as Naruto gagged and sputtered on his last mouthful of drink, spraying droplets of it from his mouth and nose. Shin looked a bit alarmed and confused, but Sasuke just glared at his fox-eyed friend reproachfully.

"Sorry," Naruto croaked, regaining his composure. "It just… uh… went down the wrong tube. I'm fine now."

"It doesn't really matter how he knew," Sasuke said seriously, trying to draw attention away from his friend. "There is only one thing that matters to me now, and that is protecting Sakura. The seal may protect her while she's within Konoha and when she 's with the two of us but…" His voice was growing more passionate. "I don't want there to be any limitations on where Sakura can go or who she has to stay near in order to be safe. Rock Shin, you know everything about the Children of the Kyuubi. You must know some way that she can be freed from the Children, from the scar that marks her as their prey. There has to be a permanent cure because… because Sakura deserves to be free. Even if there are no more of these monsters in existence, I have to know that she is no longer marked for death."

Rock Shin shook his head sadly.

"Is there really no possible way?" Sasuke asked desperately.

"There is a way," the old man answered softly. "But… it is… impossible. The only way to remove the mark of the Children… is for the marked one to kill one of them."

"But Sakura can't do that!" Naruto stammered. "Only members of the Rock family can kill them… And it costs them their lives!"

Shin responded calmly to the young man's stating the obvious. "Indeed. That is why I said it is impossible."

Sasuke laced all ten fingers though his bangs, holding his forehead in his hands. Outside he remained cool and collected as usual, but his insides were trembling with raw anger. A low growl was developing deep in his chest, and by the time it came out of his throat, it was a roar. "This entire journey was just a waste of time then! Yeah, it was a fascinating genjutsu, but what was it all for? There's nothing we can do to free Sakura or to fight these… these ridiculous monsters! It was all just pointless!"

"That's not true, Sasuke," Naruto said forcefully, rising to his feet as he spoke. "Finding out what happened thirteen years ago makes all the difference in the world! Now we can tell Sakura once and for all that she wasn't the cause of Lee's death! Now we can go find her and bring her back to Konoha where she belongs! Where she'll be safe!"

"We already knew she wasn't at fault before we came here, idiot!" Sasuke yelled back, standing up as well. "And all this time we spent coming out here, we should have been out looking for her!"

"Now wait a minute!" Naruto barked. "That's what I said we should have done in the first place! So don't yell at me!"

Realizing his hypocrisy, Sasuke let his raised shoulders drop slightly. Feeling frustrated tears beginning to bud in the corners of his eyes, his closed them tightly, but the tears managed to leak through. "I… I'm sorry, Naruto. I actually never thought you would abandon your plan to find her and follow me instead. And I did want to come here and meet Lee's grandfather… But the truth is, I was really running away, trying to stay out of your way so you could find Sakura without me."

"Why?" breathed a shocked Naruto.

"Because we both know…" Sasuke choked. "That you're the one who's always been there for her. For years I was so obsessed with getting revenge on Itachi that I neglected Sakura. I ignored her feelings and didn't give her my support when she needed it. I was not the man I should have been."

Naruto scrunched up his nose in annoyance. "Is that what's bugging you? You thought that because you gave Sakura the cold shoulder when we were twelve, you should just shrink from her life? Look, you know how much I love Sakura… But it's not the way you love her." Naruto could feel his chest growing tighter as he spoke. This was one of the hardest speeches he'd ever had to give, and he was a little scared that he might start to cry just like Sasuke. "You got a little sidetracked with the revenge thing, Sasuke, but I know your heart has always been with her. What we both witnessed today is proof of that. Even when we were all just toddlers, you risked your life to protect her… while I just stood on the sidelines…"

"But…" the Uchiha began.

"No buts! The way you talk… I know you'd still do anything to help Sakura, to make her happy and keep her safe… But you have to get over this stupid inferiority complex! Sasuke, can't you see that you're the one for her?"

A pair of black eyes and a pair of blue eyes stared at each other silently. Sasuke couldn't believe what his friend had just said. Did Naruto really believe that he was meant to be with Sakura? Was this his way of saying 'go after her, I won't get in your way?' Sasuke couldn't help but wonder what had changed his best friend's attitude.

"Naruto," he said gently. "I think… We should go and find Sakura together. The three of us are a team and… we're not complete without her. Does that sound like a plan?" He extended his hand cautiously to Naruto who grabbed and shook once, firmly.

"That's our plan," he replied.

"Bravo! Bravo!" a squeaky little voice interrupted the moment, accompanied by boisterous applause. The two young men had apparently been so rapt in their own world of thoughts, that they temporarily forgot about the old man whose house they were staying in. "It's so wonderful to see the bonds of love and friendship so alive in you young people! Go and find your teammate, young men! Reunite with the girl you made a seal with so long ago! And if there is anything else I can do to aid you in your journey, do not hesitate to ask!"

The two boys blinked several times, a bit taken aback by the old one's Lee-like enthusiasm.

"Well," Naruto began. "We could use some warmer clothes. And we don't really know our way around here. To be honest, I'm not really sure where we are. Hey, would you like to come with us? As our guide?"

"Naruto," Sasuke muttered, elbowing his friend in the ribs. "He's a very old man. We wouldn't want to put his health at risk. Besides, he's already done so much for us."

"Oh no," Shin responded with a nod. "My health is just fine. I have always had the vigor of youth. But I'm afraid there is nothing left for me out there. You two were the first visitors to come and see me out here, and I truly have enjoyed your company… But my life is right here. My family is all dead now, and I'm prepared to live out my remaining days right where I am… The last member of the Rock family."

Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other, exchanging a how-did-we-not-tell-him sort of expression. Perhaps it was because it was still a touchy subject with them. But it had to be said now.

"Sir," Sasuke said. "You're _not_ the last member of the Rock family. I forgot to tell you this earlier… But you're going to be a great-grandfather. Sakura actually… she's pregnant. And the baby is your great-grandchild."

The old man seemed surprised for only a moment then he began shaking his head. "Shameful grandson of mine, recklessly engaging in the sacred act reserved for marriage. It's just shameful. Well, I am sure there is some logical explanation as to how such a thing happened. But there will be plenty of time to talk about that during the long journey ahead of us."

"Does this mean you're coming with us?" Naruto asked hopefully.

Shin nodded, his eyes twinkling slightly. "It couldn't hurt to meet this little bud on the Rock family tree. Indeed, we'll leave at tomorrow's first light. Won't be easy, though. The heavy snow of winter is just setting in now. This journey will take some time."

"I don't care," Sasuke replied. "I'll go to Hell and back to see Sakura again. There's really just one problem… We have no idea where Sakura is."

The room was silent once again. Then, after several minutes of head scratching, something miraculously connected in Naruto's head. "I know where Sakura is!" he declared exultantly. "Why didn't I figure it out before? The stuff I died my hair with to escape from the orphanage, it smelled like black licorice! I knew I'd smelled it before, but I couldn't remember where until just now! The maid in the Kazekage's office! It was Sakura, I know it! Sakura is in Suna!"

To be continued…


	17. Chapter 17

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Free Talk: This is another long chapter, and was very difficult to write. I'm not sure how it is for other people, but I find it much easier to write action and dialogue than thoughts and feelings (which this chapter is full of). Perhaps it is because I am such a beginner. In any case, I really hope this chapter came out okay. I worry a little that this story is getting boring. Is it? There are only a few chapters left (about 4 or so). The focus is finally back on our heroine. I did have fun writing Temari, though. I am a big fan of her (I cosplayed as her last Otakon, actually). As a friend, I do think she would be a bit bawdy. Gaara was harder to write. So I hope I didn't get him all wrong. Thank you for the support! And please comment and tell me what you think!

**Chapter 17: "You Are The One Who Taught Me"**

"Aiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

A sickening scream tore the sleeping palace of Suna in half, waking all but the very heaviest of sleepers within. As soon as she heard it, Temari flung herself, disoriented and disheveled, out of bed and flew down the hallway, her bare feet slapping furiously against the marble floor as she headed towards Sakura's room. Without hesitation, she kicked open the doors to the young woman's newer and much nicer dormitory and immediately flipped on the light. Sakura was sitting bolt upright in bed, pale-faced and trembling, her eyes widened and her face bathed in sweat. Her hands were clenched into tight fists, which were both dripping fresh red blood onto the pink silk nightgown that covered her round, protruding belly.

"Sakura, you're bleeding!" Temari exclaimed, rushing to her side. "What happened? Was it another nightmare?"

"No," Sakura breathed. "It was the same nightmare. Only this time, the monster had already killed Sasuke and Naruto and then… Then it went after me. No, not me… It went after… and then it lunged…" Her voice was getting louder and frightened and began to crack. "The baby! The monster killed my baby!"

"It's alright," Temari soothed. "It was just a dream. There's no monster here." She gently pried open Sakura's tiny balled-up hands, each covered in blood and sporting four deep cuts from her fingernails, and placed them on her stomach. "See? The baby is fine, it's kicking."

The maid-turned-tutor's heart had been firing like a machine gun, but it calmed down as soon she felt the forceful movement inside her. "Oh, Temari," she sighed. "I can't believe I keep doing this. Waking everyone up in the middle of the night with my screaming… But… it was so real! I just… I…"

"Blood? What happened? Is she okay?" a cold but somehow gentle voice interrupted. The two girls looked up to see the Kazekage framed in the doorway, clad in fine burgundy pajamas.

"I'm sorry I woke you," Sakura answered, carefully avoiding Gaara's gaze. "I had a nightmare again."

Gaara's slippered feet didn't make a sound as he moved, smooth as water, to the young woman's bedside. "These nightmares are coming more frequently. And they seem to be getting more intense, as well. You've clenched your fists so tight as to draw blood."

"I'm really worried about you, Pinky," Temari confessed, hugging Sakura close. "Gaara, what are we going to do?"

"There is one thing I shall do first of all," the red-haired boy replied calmly. He took one of Sakura's hands in his own and she shivered slightly from the coldness of his skin. Then he gently touched her wounds with his fingertips and the self-inflicted injuries healed themselves, then he repeated the process on her other hand. "Better?" he asked.

"Y-yeah," she said, stuttering slightly. "You've gotten very good at that. Thank you."

"You are the one who taught me," Gaara reminded. "So thank you, Haruno Sakura."

Though she couldn't explain why, Sakura felt her cheeks grow warm. Why did Gaara always call her by her full name? "I hope you two will be able to get back to sleep," she said.

"Don't worry about us," Temari replied, smiling. "We'll be fine. But hey, is there anything you need?"

"Well," she said thoughtfully. "I did get blood on my bed sheets, so I could use some clean ones. But I can get them myself, you don't have to…"

"Nonsense, Pinky. I'll go and get them right now," said Temari.

As soon as his older sister had left the room, Gaara moved over and took her place sitting next to Sakura. Suddenly she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. "How have you been feeling lately, Haruno Sakura," he said after a short pause.

"Eight months pregnant," she answered. "So, very uncomfortable. Aching back, aching feet, swollen… everything… Almost makes me forget that there's a shinobi under all this."

"Actually, I was inquiring more about your mental health," Gaara responded. "But I am sorry that you are so uncomfortable physically."

Sakura blinked a few times, quite surprised by the Kazekage's query. "I suppose you're asking because of the nightmares… I am a little anxious of course, what with the baby and all. But I can't think of anything so severe as to trigger these terrifying dreams."

"Are you sure you are just a little anxious?" Gaara asked curiously. "You have not yet turned eighteen, and in just a few weeks you are going to give birth. You are living here, miles away from your home and your friends and family, and you still have not explained to anyone why you left. Plus, you have been working yourself extremely hard, teaching my siblings and I medical ninjutsu while continuing your duties as a maid, despite my telling you that you are free to quit, and that it is putting undue stress on your already strained body."

"I… I want to feel useful," she answered nervously. "What's wrong with that?"

"There is nothing wrong with it," said Gaara. "But I do not believe that is the reason for your behavior. You are running from something, and you are keeping yourself very busy in order to mask it. Whatever it is you are hiding, I can tell that it is a heavy burden on you, and I believe it is the cause of your nightmares. I believe it is killing you from the inside out."

Sakura was left still and breathless. Somehow that young man's freezing blue-green eyes saw right though her carefully maintained façade. "I…" she began, but her voice was cut off by the liquid movement of the Kazekage's pale white hand towards her neck. For a brief moment she got the irrational idea that he was going to strangle her, but instead he picked up the tiny white button still hanging from a red string around her neck and held it in his hand.

"I hope that soon you will let yourself be free," he said silkily. "Until then…" Gaara stood up silently, intentionally leaving his last sentence open. As he was walking towards the door, Temari was just arriving with an armful of fresh linens.

"I brought clean sheets, and some nice blood-free pajamas to boot," she declared cheerfully. "Need any help making your bed?"

"No, I can manage it my…"

"Help her, Sister," Gaara interrupted. "Also, there will be no lessons tomorrow. Please sleep in as late you wish, Haruno Sakura. And you are not to do any housework. Sister, you may forgo your duties tomorrow, as well. I bid you both goodnight, and I hope that your return to sleep comes easily."

Without another word, the redhead left the room, and the two ladies began the task of making Sakura's bed. The pregnant girl wouldn't say much, as she still felt strangely shaken by Gaara's keen insight, but she smiled mildly as she tucked in the cream-colored sheets, happy just to not be alone right now. Temari smiled back at her.

"You and I will have fun tomorrow," she said happily. "We can steal some of the good stuff from the kitchens and we can… well, _I_ can get wasted. And we'll talk trash about guys… you know, bawdy stuff… We'll just be big bitches all day long! Whadaya say?"

Sakura couldn't suppress an amused giggle that bubbled from her lips. She knew that she was the only person that the sassy blonde talked that way to. It was always meant to make her smile, and almost always succeeded. "When you put it that way, how can I refuse?" she answered.

When the bed was all made up, and Sakura was tucked in wearing clean pajamas, Temari left and turned the lights out. Despite what Gaara had said, though, sleep would not come easy for the runaway of the Leaf. Her mind was still swimming from his speech to her earlier, and it didn't help that the baby was still wide awake and kicking wildly. She let loose a tried sigh.

_I'm sorry Gaara, but I can't let myself be free_, she thought to herself. _If you knew what I did to your friend, you'd understand why I left, and why I have to work so hard. But then, maybe you do know. Did you recognize Lee's button? It must be suspicious that I showed up in your country pregnant with your friend's child just weeks after his death. You could tell so much just by looking at me. Could you see Lee's blood on my hands?_

But more than just her reasons for running, Gaara's words had reminded Sakura of what she'd left behind.

_Could you tell how much I miss them?_

For most of the time that she had been living in Suna, at least after she'd secured the position of medical jutsu teacher, Sakura was able to force her mind onto other things than the life she left behind. She thought about the three siblings' mastery of the skills she was teaching them, as well as their cooperation as a family unit. (In both respects they had indeed made great progress). She also worried about her health and her baby, and made a habit of reading pregnancy books in her free time. Thoughts of Sasuke and Naruto were just too sad for her to bear, so she repressed them as much as possible.

But that red haired young man had turned a key in Sakura's heart, and now the door was wide open. Besides, right now, thinking about her teammates and longing for them was the one thing that seemed to keep her mind off of the nightmare she'd had earlier. That sudden image of a hideous fang-filled jaw ripping her unborn child right out her stomach in a spray of blood made the young woman's heart race and her whole body shudder.

_That's a much scarier thought than Sasuke and Naruto_, she thought. _I bet they're still going on missions without me. And they're probably doing all right. But… I miss them… I miss them so much… It hurts… Naruto's eager grin… Sasuke's dark eyes sparkling with triumph over a job well done… My Sasuke…_

Sakura's heart squirmed a little bit. It had been a very long time since she'd ever thought the words "my Sasuke." It was true that she'd spent the better part of her youth passionately in love with the handsome Uchiha and actively pursued him romantically. But after he had returned from being with Orochimaru, she toned down her effort. She had been so happy that day, just to have him back, that she cried for hours. It was on that day she decided that it was enough for her just to be near Sasuke and be on his team, and that for him to fall in love with her was just too much for her to ask. And she had been happy just being a team, especially since Naruto had become so important to her as well, a best friend supplanting Ino even.

Tonight she felt different, though. For a while, her mind was content just to relive that day last summer when she splashed happily in a stream, post-mission. It was the last truly happy day she could remember. But then another image took its place, one she hadn't envisioned in years. She saw herself married to Sasuke, living in that little red-roofed house in the quiet part of Konoha, where the grass grows thickly and every yard has flowers. Two or three children were playing out in front, anxious to be ninja just like their mother and father. Actually, the only thing different from her original childhood fantasy was that now Naruto was part of her family too. Somehow she just pictured him as a constant in her and Sasuke's life, like a relative that you couldn't get rid of, but if you were honest with yourself wouldn't want to get rid of, ever.

_Why am I thinking of that now? I stopped wanting that a long time ago_, she reminded herself, but she felt a lump forming in her throat as she thought it. _I'm just thinking that that's what I want because of the baby, and because I've been away for so long. Besides, that… that will never happen now. If there was any chance that Sasuke felt that way about me, wanted to have a family with me… He can't possibly want that anymore. Trying to force him to love me would be bad enough. But making him love a baby that isn't his is unthinkable._ She rubbed her stomach. _No, this baby is mine alone, now._

Sakura tried to think about something else but soon realized her efforts were futile and decided to let herself fantasize a little longer. After all, a little daydreaming wouldn't hurt anyone. Still, laying there in her bed in the palace of Suna, the stubborn young kunoichi refused to admit the truth, that what she wanted most in the depths of her heart had never changed. A team really _wasn't_ enough for her, and her soul ached for the family she'd dreamed up long ago. In any case, imagining Sasuke's strong arms around her, Sakura finally was able to drift into sleep, and even the baby calmed down inside of her. And it was a sweet deep sleep, without any nightmares.

Temari or Gaara must have turned off Sakura's alarm clock when they were in her bedroom because it didn't go off in the morning and when she finally did wake up it was almost noon. Though her sleep had been deep and peaceful, she woke up with a strange uncomfortable feeling buried somewhere in her mind, like there was something she had to do, something huge and difficult that she didn't fully understand yet. But she decided not to let it bother her, and got ready for her day.

The new room that Gaara had arranged for Sakura was remarkably opulent, especially when compared to the little box in the basement that she'd started out in. She rolled a bit awkwardly out of her canopied four-poster bed and tottered over to an elegant armoire that was filled with beautiful and expensive clothes, all courtesy of the Kazekage.

"It's my day off," she said to herself, looking through her clothing options. "I should pick something comfortable. Maybe the royal blue dress."

She had just put on the soft and gorgeous maternity gown, and was brushing her hair when Temari walked in uninvited.

"Damn, Pinky," the blonde remarked. "I still can't get over how good your hair looks really short. I know you only cut it like that to get rid of the last traces of black, but it's so cute, like a pixie."

"Have you already started drinking?" Sakura asked suspiciously. "You seem a bit…"

"No, no… I'm fine," she stated, though she was holding a half-empty bottle of strawberry wine in her hand. "Say, did I ever tell you about the time that Shikamaru and I got it on on Gaara's desk?"

"I don't think you told me that one," Sakura lied, causing the Sand girl's face to light up.

She actually had heard this story before, more than once, but was perfectly happy to hear it again. After the trio began to respect her as a teacher, Temari had become a very close friend to her. And it didn't take long for Sakura to discover that her new friend had a real talent for telling sexy stories, which was just fine because the young Leaf's surging hormones made her crave something titillating. She loved hearing about Temari's sexual exploits. The drawback of course, was that now if she ever did return to Konoha, Sakura could never look Shikamaru in the eyes without turning beet red.

The two young women were relaxing comfortably on the bed, and Temari had just finished up her story (which had somehow gotten even more risqué in this telling) when Sakura suddenly sensed the question that always ended these sessions. Usually Temari got in two or three tasteless true stories before asking that question, but today it was going to come early.

"You know, we always talk about my sex life," the blonde said. "But what about you, Pinky? Come on, how was King Eyebrows in bed? You can tell me."

The pink-haired girl growled slightly in frustration. "You've asked me that about a hundred times, Temari, and my answer is still the same: I don't want to talk about it. So stop asking already!"

"Aw, come on!" the older girl pleaded. "I just want to know how Rock Lee's bun ended up in your oven, that's all."

"You know how it goes," Sakura answered flatly. "An egg, a sperm… it's basic biology."

"Not that part! You know what I meant!" she stammered. "Could you at least tell me if he was as good as Uchiha? Hmmm… Come to think of it, you've never told me about pretty boy Uchiha in bed either. That must've been something else. C'mon, spill!"

Sakura's face suddenly became hot and red. "Sasuke and I never…!" she began to blurt out, but stopped herself mid-sentence.

Temari raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Oh! So that means… Sakura, was Lee your… first?"

Sakura looked down a bit embarrassedly. "My only," she corrected. "But I still don't want to talk about it."

"Fine, fine," Temari sighed. "I don't really blame you, Pinky. If my first and only time was with that guy I wouldn't want to…" This time it was her who cut off her sentence, seeing that Sakura's eyebrows were already furrowing angrily. "I think I might go get something to eat," she said, changing the subject. "Wanna join me?"

"No, thanks," Sakura replied. "I think I'm going to just take a walk, get some fresh air."

-

February in Suna was colder than Sakura had imagined, and she had to wear a thick cloak while walking around the palace courtyard. Her conversation with Temari had upset her more than she wanted to admit, but she couldn't really explain why. Her friend hadn't said or done anything out of character or unusual, and honestly, she wasn't really mad at Temari. Sakura felt mad at herself, but it was easier to blame the impertinent blonde.

"Why does she always have to be so nosey?" she grumbled to herself. "Not everyone wants to shamelessly flaunt their sex life like she does. And she just assumes that me and Sasuke were lovers? Where does she get the nerves to… Ow!" Sakura paused and held her stomach. "You don't have to kick me so hard!"

"Giving your mother a hard time, eh?" an icy voice spoke from behind her. "You're already determined to have the strongest taijutsu ever, aren't you kid?"

Sakura smiled slightly. Gaara's casual tone didn't surprise her. This was a habit he had picked up several months ago and by now she was used to it. It was very odd, but the Kazekage really seemed to enjoy talking to her unborn child. Even odder was the way in which he talked to the baby, as if this developing little person was his close friend and the only one around here who truly understood him. Up until now, Sakura had just dismissed it as a weird quirk, like Temari insistently calling her Pinky, but today, standing out in the chilling winter air, she stopped to think how very weird it was. She watched the redhead as he gazed wistfully through the bare tree branches at the hazy gray sky, and something connected in her head.

_I can't believe I didn't see it before! The way Gaara talks to the baby, it's the same way he must have talked to Lee!_ As soon as Sakura realized this, she started to think about how completely strange it was that Gaara and Lee had ever been friends. They were completely different. Gaara was cold and quiet and dark, while Lee was warm and overflowing and bright (in terms of personality, not intellect). Gaara had actually tried to kill Lee at least once. Her stomach tightened. _He tried to kill Lee, and now Lee is dead._

"Gaara?" she asked, for once remembering not to call him 'Lord Kazekage.' "How much do you know about Lee's death?"

He turned and looked her in the face, his dark rimmed eyes taking on a rare sympathetic expression. "Come sit down and let's talk," he said, indicating the ledge of a huge stone planter. As soon as Sakura had taken a seat next to him, he continued. "I know exactly what happened on the day Lee died, as well as the night before. I've known since before I came back and found you here. Your Hokage told me."

Sakura gasped.

"Don't worry, I did not tell her that you were here," Gaara assured her.

"You knew all along?" she asked softly. "How could you let me stay here in your palace knowing that I'm the cause of your friend's death? Knowing that I killed him?"

Gaara looked at her severely. "Haruno Sakura, you should not say such foolish things. You did not cause Rock Lee's death. You did not force him into the woods, and you certainly were not the one who attacked him. No, you are not responsible for his death. And you've known this all along. Yet you keep blaming yourself for something you know you didn't do, because you feel the weight of guilt in your heart."

"What are you talking about?" Sakura asked. She was in a strange state of shock that Gaara seemed to know more about her own heart than she did.

"You feel sad that Lee is dead, because he was your friend," the Kazekage explained. "But that isn't the source of your guilt. You feel guilty because you slept with him without being in love with him, and you took advantage of his feelings for you. You never meant to be so thoughtless; it was a moment of weakness. But then he died before you got the chance to apologize to him. You would have felt guilty even if Lee had dropped dead from a heart attack."

"Gaara, I…" Sakura began. "That's not exactly…"

"Well, there is actually more to the situation than just what I have stated," he went on. "Ever since you were a little girl, you have been in love with Uchiha Sasuke, right? And now you feel like you betrayed him by making Rock Lee your first lover. Furthermore, even though you would never admit it, I think you feel guilty and confused that your experience with Lee felt good physically, that you really did enjoy that night with him. And it confuses you even more that you love the child you and he inadvertently created that night just as much as if it were Sasuke's. Am I correct?"

When Gaara finished and looked over at Sakura, her face was glazed with tears. "Why are you crying?"

"Because," she sniffed. "Everything you just said… I didn't even realize it… but it's all true. Every word of it. It's like hearing you say these things has just churned them up from the deepest part of me. How? How did you know? And why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

"You weren't ready," he said, touching her soft chin with his cold fingertips. "I had to wait for you to bring it up. Your emotions have been clouded over from the moment you arrived here. But I have been observing you every day, wondering how someone so strong and beautiful could get so lost."

"What do I do now?" she asked hopefully. "I don't want to feel this way anymore. I don't want to keep feeling guilty over things I can't change. If I'm lost, how do I become found?"

"Now that you understand your own feelings, everything else will begin to get better," said Gaara. "If you want it to."

Then he hugged her. It was even more shocking than when Temari had hugged her on the night she tried to escape. She'd never seen Gaara hug anyone before, and now she was on the receiving end. It was a warm and comfortable hug that made her feel that this young man was someone she could relate to, someone she could trust.

"I'm getting kind of chilly," Sakura finally said, gently pulling out of the tight embrace. "I think I'll head inside."

"Very well," he replied. "If you don't mind, I think I'll stay out here a little longer. But you two go on in. And don't push yourselves too hard."

"We won't," she said. "Oh, and Gaara… Thank you."

-

Despite her current girth, Sakura went to bed that night feeling lighter than she had in months. It was like being on a mission and dropping off your backpack full of supplies before pursuing an enemy. Gaara's kind and enigmatic smile as he watched her leave the courtyard was still on the young woman's mind.

_I do want things to get better_, she thought. _I want to forgive myself. If Gaara can still see something good in me, than maybe it's not so hard to believe that Sasuke and Naruto might want to let me be with them again. After all, it really wasn't my fault that Lee was killed… Maybe in the morning, things will already be starting to get better…_

Sakura fell asleep with an optimistic smile on her face. When she awoke from her nightmare-free night, she was greeted by a pair of dark eyes, watching her silently from above.

"Sasuke…" she breathed.

To be continued…


	18. Chapter 18

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Free Talk: Once again, a chapter has run so long that I had to break it up. So now my estimate for this story is 22 chapters, not 21. But the next one should come very soon because it is already started. You know, the manga never actually states that Gaara and Lee became friends after their fight with Kimimaro, but I really love to imagine that they did. They're just so adorably mismatched… like in a buddy comedy movie. I'm on winter break right now (sadly, my last winter break ever) and I really hope to complete this story during my month off. I also need to finish my X fanfiction. I have been putting it off because it has become very difficult for me to write. But I will finish it indeed. As always, thank you so much for the support. And please comment and tell me what you think!

**Chapter 18: "I Definitely Would Remember Having Met The Two Of You"**

"Sasuke…" Sakura breathed. "Is it really you? Are you really here?" She could see Sasuke above her, his familiar features illuminated by morning sunlight from the window, but she still had to ask and make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.

"It's me," he responded, smiling gently. He closed his eyes and drew in a shaky breath, then spontaneously pulled Sakura into a tight embrace. "Sakura," he sighed into her ear. "Sakura… You're here… You're safe… After so long, I've found you…"

"Ahem!" an irritated voice coughed, and looking over Sasuke's shoulder Sakura noticed for the first time that her other teammate was in her bedroom as well.

"Naruto," she said sweetly. "You… You're both here… in my bedroom… But… how did you find me?"

"It was really Naruto who found you," said Sasuke. "So I can't take the credit. He's actually pretty smart when he wants to be." Naruto frowned. "Gaara let us in, said you usually got up about now. We didn't mean to invade your privacy. It's just I… We couldn't wait to see you."

Sakura was stunned. "You guys were looking for me? Even after reading the note I left?"

"I know your note said not to come after you," Sasuke replied. "But… I guess Naruto and I are just selfish. The idea of being without you… and you being all on your own… It just didn't sit well. We need you Sakura. I need you."

Hearing those last three words, Sakura's heart quivered. She was about to say something, but Naruto interrupted.

"Yeah," he said. "About that note… It's not that we didn't take it seriously. But after reading it, we kinda got the idea that you were running away from home based on false information. Sakura, you gotta know… You weren't responsible for Rock Lee's death."

Sakura looked at Naruto's serious face with a bit of shock. "I… I know that," she said. "Gaara helped me to realize it."

"Gaara?" the blonde replied, wrinkling his nose. "What could he possibly know about the situation? He wasn't there thirteen years ago. And he's never met Rock Shin either."

"Thirteen years ago?" the girl in bed asked, her slender eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "What are you talking about, Naruto? And who is Rock Shin? One of Lee's relatives?"

Sasuke sighed a graceful sigh. "He's Lee's grandfather… It's a long and complicated story," he said. "And I think we should get some breakfast in us before getting into it. Gaara invited us all to eat with him and his siblings."

"Alright," Sakura answered, intrigued but still confused. As she climbed out of bed, her two teammates finally got the full effect of how much she had grown since they last saw her and their eyes widened from surprise.

"Good lord!" Naruto exclaimed. "You're as big as house! I guess you weren't kidding when you said you were pregnant. So how much of that bulge do you suppose is taken up just by the little tyke's eyebrows?"

"Out!" Sakura muttered through her clenched jaw as she pointed towards the door. "Now, I have to get dressed."

"We'll wait for you outside," said Sasuke. Then the two boys left, and although she had already turned around, Sakura could swear that she saw Sasuke smack Naruto on the head through the corner of her eye, presumably for the eyebrow comment.

Once her teammates had exited and the door had closed behind them, Sakura perched tensely back on the edge of her bed, shaking slightly, her mind racing. _Is this a dream? How could it be that after eight months of wanting to stay hidden, the day after I realize that I'm ready to be found, those two show up at my bedside?_ In the midst of the overwhelming shock of it all, Sakura wasn't quite certain if she was happy or not at her teammates' arrival. Yesterday she had just broken through the surface of her damaged heart during her talk with Gaara. Was she really ready to go home with Naruto and Sasuke and rebuild her life in Konoha? And what would happen next?

It was like something that Ino had told her once. A flower has to know when the time is right to come out of the dirt. If it emerges too early, it will be killed by frost. A flower must wait for the proper climate before it can blossom. Though she thirsted for the sweetness of the spring sun, right now Sakura still felt buried in the winter's soil.

Then she remembered the feeling she'd had waking up under Sasuke's warm gaze, the snugness of his embrace and she felt excitement welling in her chest, bubbling onto her face in the form of a hopeful smile. It reminded her of the sensation she'd felt the first time she's ever seen the Uchiha when she was seven years old. Suddenly she had to look at him again, even if she wasn't prepared for the emotional consequences of the reunion. Hastily, she got dressed in a crimson velvet gown and dashed out the door as quickly as a very pregnant woman could.

In the hallway outside Sakura's bedroom Naruto and Sasuke were having some private conversation, but the blonde fell silent as soon as he saw the door open and he nudged his friend to turn around. The Uchiha's jaw went slack as his eyes fell on the beautiful woman now standing in front of him. Even Naruto noticed that he was staring, most un-Sasukelike.

"Sakura…" he uttered, awestruck. "You look… amazing… Your dress… your hair… wow…"

The girl's cheeks glowed. "I look fat," she said shyly. "But thanks anyway. Shall we go down to the dining hall now? I'm sure Naruto can't wait to eat."

The young man in question snorted. "What? You think I can't be awake for two hours without eating?" He posed the question as seriously as possible, but a loud growl from his stomach provided the answer and his two teammates looked at him pathetically. "Okay! I'm hungry! Let's go!"

"Here, take my hand going down the stairs, Sakura," Sasuke said, offering her his hand.

Seeing no real reason to tell him that she didn't need any help, Sakura grabbed Sasuke's hand and it felt good and warm in her palm. _What's this? Am I blushing? I've never felt this shy around Sasuke. But then… he's never given me this much attention before… Why is he being so gentle towards me? It must be because I'm pregnant. But still…_

Waiting for them at the bottom of the huge staircase was a diminutive old man with enormous gray eyebrows who was smiling cheerfully. As soon as Sakura saw him she had to do a double take. The resemblance to Rock Lee was uncanny.

"Bless my soul!" he greeted enthusiastically. "Miss Haruno Sakura! What a lovely young woman you've grown up to be!"

"You must be Rock Shin," she said, looking at him a bit oddly. "Um, excuse me, but have we met before?"

"Indeed! Indeed!" he chortled. "But there will be time to discuss that after breakfast. Come! Let us eat!" Bowing, he took Sakura's free hand and pressed a chivalrous kiss to her knuckles, before leading her away towards the dining hall. As Sakura's fingers slid out of his hand, Sasuke exchanged a wary look with Naruto. Both boys were silently wondering how a seventy-year old man who'd just traveled hundreds of miles through mountainous blizzard conditions could be so energetic.

-

Except for Shin's jovial comments on the exquisiteness of Suna-grown fruit, breakfast took place in silence. Not even Temari said a word, and she was usually a complete loudmouth at meals. Sasuke's gaze stayed on Sakura like a spotlight, until she would look over towards him and his eyes immediately shot down to his plate. The back and forth longing looks continued all through the meal, and only Naruto seemed to notice, rolling his eyes and snorting quietly to himself.

After everyone had finished, they moved over to the sitting room, a huge round room of polished marble, with mahogany fixtures and a high vaulted ceiling. An orange fire was already crackling in the mammoth fireplace, casting a flickering glow onto the framed portraits of past Kazekage. It was originally meant to be a discussion just between four people, but Sakura had insisted that the Sand siblings be included, as they had become like family to her and anything said to her could be said in front of them.

"So what is this complex situation you need to explain to me?" Sakura asked, sinking into an overstuffed leather armchair. "You say it has to do with something that happened thirteen years ago? And Rock Lee's grandpa here is involved?"

Everyone except for Sasuke, Naruto, and Shin found some place to sit before the Uchiha began to explain, his face as sober as Sakura had ever seen it. "Sakura, something happened to you thirteen years ago, something that altered your life forever, even though you will never remember it. When you were just a little girl, you were attacked by something evil while playing in a field of flowers near your home. Naruto and I were there, playing with you when it happened."

"No way!" Sakura interjected incredulously. "I definitely would remember having met the two of you! And being attacked!"

"Let me continue," Sasuke said patiently. "The thing that attacked you was one of a monstrous race called the Children of the Kyuubi, because they once worshipped the demon as their God. It probably would have killed you if Lee and his parents hadn't shown up. You see, the Rock family bloodline allows them to kill the Children of the Kyuubi when nobody else can. Lee's parents saved your life… but they lost their own in the process. That's the downside to their ability. It kills them. You were hurt very badly so Lee carried you back to his grandfather Rock Shin's house and Naruto and I went with you. Rock Shin was able to seal the wound the beast gave you, but it still marked you permanently as the creatures' prey and will become visible if one of them is near."

"You… you're making thing up," Sakura stuttered with a hint of genuine fear. She turned to the old man. "This is just a joke, right? I mean… This is crazy! I would remember!"

Rock Shin shook his head sadly. "I wish it were made up," he said. "But everything the young man has told you is true. The reason you don't remember any of this is that I sealed your memory, Naruto's and Sasuke's too… even Lee's. I thought it might spare you all some unnecessary trauma. I never expected the Children to show up again."

"They're back?" Sakura stammered. "You mean to tell me that there is a tribe of savage beasts trying to kill me just because they failed to do so when I was a child? And that they're back? And how come Naruto and Sasuke seem to know all about this when I'm totally clueless?"

"Calm down, my dear girl," Shin said lightly. "It's not good for the health to get so worked up. Only one of the Children of the Kyuubi has ever been spotted since the day you were attacked, and it happened over eight months ago. These two young men here were the ones who discovered it."

Sakura gasped, but it was Naruto who spoke up. "It was that mission last summer," he said, uncharacteristically serious. "The one we left you behind for… It turned out to be a trap set up by the monster."

"The Children are beasts, but they can be quite clever when it comes to hunting down their prey," Shin informed. "And they have many mysterious jutsu that even I know little about."

"What this one wasn't counting on," Sasuke took over. "Was that Naruto and I would leave you behind out of fear for your safety. When just the two of us showed up, the thing went berserk. You see, they cannot attack you if you are in Konoha. That's why it tried to lure you out. If you had been with us, it would have gotten you on your own and killed you. It probably would have killed the two of us that day if it weren't for…"

"Lee…" Sakura breathed.

"That's right," Sasuke replied with a sad smile. "Lee showed up just in time and killed the monster, sacrificing his own life in the process."

Naruto continued the story. "He must have seen the mark on your back when he woke up in bed with you…" the boy paused as the next word seemed very difficult to spit out. "…naked… Seeing it must have spontaneously unsealed his memories and he knew exactly what he had to do. Do you know what this means, Sakura? Rock Lee saved our lives, but really he was doing it to protect you. He couldn't have been that mad at you if he gave his life to protect you."

Sakura's entire body was shaking as her sweaty hands gripped tightly onto the arms of her chair, her skin had become as white as magnolia petals, and although she wasn't crying, when she spoke her voice was squeaky and trembling as if she had been. "If what you're saying is true… then that means… If you guys hadn't left me behind, that thing would have killed me… And if Lee hadn't seen that mark on my back and gone into the woods… it would have killed both of you… And it would still be out there looking for me…"

She wasn't the only one who was completely stunned by all of this. The three Suna shinobi were just hearing these revelations for the first time too, and were almost equally baffled. "So," Temari said curiously, speaking up for the first time. "If you hadn't slept with Rock Lee, your teammates, and possibly yourself, would have been killed by a monster?"

All eyes turned to the ponytailed blonde, but nobody criticized her outburst. They knew that she had to say it simply because it sounded so ridiculous. In some strange way, however, it was true. The events of last summer had miraculously worked out so that nobody on Team 7 had gotten hurt. Only Lee had lost his life, and he made the decision on his own.

"I believe all things happen for a reason," Rock Shin said wisely.

Naruto nodded. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you the truth about what happened on that mission. We wanted to find out more about the situation before getting you involved because… Well, again, we didn't want you to get hurt. We went to Tsunade for answers about the monster and she pointed us in Rock Shin's direction. We were going to tell you everything we knew at that point and take you with us to meet him… but you had already left town."

"Ah but they still came to find me," the old man said. "They traveled hundreds of miles into the snowy mountains just to learn if there was some way to protect you. They had no idea that they were with you when you were attacked until I unlocked their sealed memories."

"Yeah," said Naruto. "We didn't know any more than you about the Children of the Kyuubi until Rock Shin told us. The past couple of months we've just been trying to get back to you to tell you all this… And to bring you back home to Konoha, where you belong."

Sakura's face had frozen into an expression of pure shock. It seemed remarkable she was able to make any sound at all, she was so tense, but she actually managed to speak. "I… I don't know how I'm supposed to react to hearing all this. How much threat do these things pose? Have… have I been putting all of you in danger just by being near you? Am I putting Suna in danger?"

The last comment seemed to make Temari and Kankurou squirm in their seats, but Gaara remained calm. "Haruno Sakura," he spoke slowly. "If I had ever thought that you or anyone else was endangered by having you here, I never would have asked you to stay."

"I have to concur that the risk of attack is very slight," Shin added. "The Children of the Kyuubi are a dying race. I dare not say that they are extinct… I've said that twice before and had it proven wrong. But they are rare indeed, particularly this far south. And they cannot survive in dessert conditions. So you are definitely safe as long as you are here."

"But you're definitely safe within Konoha as well," Naruto chimed in. "And that's your home. You're a shinobi of the Leaf, Sakura. Don't you ever forget that."

The girl's pale green eyes darted around the room from face to face, searching desperately for what she should say. When they finally connected with the eyes of the Kazekage, she felt a cold rush dance up her spine.

"You know that you are welcome to stay here as long as you feel you need to," he said. "So it is your decision alone whether or not you wish to return to Konoha with your teammates."

Sakura swallowed hard before answering. "I… I don't know…" she croaked. Then she tipped herself out of the chair and hurtled out of the door and up the stairs.

To be continued…


	19. Chapter 19

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Free Talk: If you are wondering why I bother doing these Free Talks, it is because I am totally addicted to manga and I really like it when the creator includes commentary and notes and stuff. This is my homage to them. This chapter is really continued from last chapter and it still came out rather long. It's kind of a touchy-feely chapter, so I'm not sure what people will think. The next (last) couple of chapters will have more happening. But emotional reactions and interactions are important so this chapter is necessary… Though I'm not sure how well I conveyed them… Thank you so much for the comments and support. And please tell me what you think! (Cuito, I would love to marry you, but I fear my constant singing would soon drive you to murder me in my sleep)

**Chapter 19: "It Is Because You Love"**

The walls of the Suna Palace hallway streaked past as Sakura flew to her bedroom. Her breaths were deep and coarse and her heart was banging against her ribs. When she got inside her room she slammed the doors closed and, unable to really throw herself onto the bed because of her size, fell backwards onto it.

_It's all too much_, she thought, holding the sides of her head. _Monsters, seals, vicious attacks… it's just too much! It's like suddenly finding out that my nightmares are all real!_ She sat up in bed as soon as this thought came to mind. _I didn't tell them about the nightmares. Should I have? Are the monsters in my dreams the same as the one that attacked me? But that can't be… my memories were sealed… _She shook her head. _That's really not what I need to worry about right now! They want me to come home! Am I even ready?_

As she stared up at the gauzy canopy over her bed, Sakura anxiously contemplated the decision she now had to make. She was glad to have gotten out of that room. She couldn't possibly think with all those eyes on her. Now it was just her and the baby, squirming as usual, and silence.

_Why is this such a difficult decision to make? I should be so excited to go home. But I've been living here so long, I lost sight of why I left in the first place. I was going to try to work off my guilt, make up for having caused Lee's death. But then… I didn't really cause his death, he chose to die… But that doesn't make the way I treated him right… I still need to somehow absolve myself… Urgh! If only I could just tell him how sorry I really am. If only I could feel that he forgave me… Because… I really do want to go home. I miss Konoha with all my heart._

A soft creak interrupted the troubled girl's thoughts as someone gently pushed open her bedroom door. She looked over, expecting to see Naruto or Sasuke, but instead found a much older, wizened face peering in at her. "May I come in?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," she answered, still a bit surprised at who her visitor was.

As the short old man shuffled in, Sakura saw that he had a large basket of fruit in his arms. He smiled cheerfully at her. "You got a lot of information to digest this morning. I thought maybe having some food to digest as well might do you good. You know, your friends are quite concerned about you, Miss Haruno, but I think they're too nervous to come talk to you themselves, afraid they might upset you. Ah, but I'm just a little old man. Bringing a snack to a beautiful young woman no longer frightens me. Try an apple, they're delicious!"

Sakura eyed Lee's grandfather suspiciously as she picked a yellow apple out of the basket. "Did Naruto and Sasuke send you up here to convince me to go with them?"

"Heavens no," he chirped. "They don't even know I'm up here. But I can't blame you for being wary. After all, you don't really know me… and you do know how much those two want you back with them. They do love you, Miss Haruno."

"I'm not really sure why," Sakura sighed. "I mean… why me? Why do people always seem to want to protect me? I don't deserve it."

Rock Shin had to hop to get up onto the edge of the bed next to her, and when he sat there he was so short his feet dangled off of the edge. "My dear girl," he said kindly. "You may not realize it, but you have a special quality. You bring out the very best in those around you and you give them hope. You make people want to protect you."

"How do you know that?" Sakura asked skeptically. "You're seeing me today for the first time in thirteen years. And that time I was just a little kid… and unconscious."

"Ah but I could see how you brought together Naruto and Sasuke that day," he answered. "It was because of you that they became friends in the first place that day. And today I can still see it on their faces, and on the faces of your friends here in Suna. They have all been touched by your love, as was my grandson Lee."

Sakura looked down sadly. "I… I'm really not the kind and gentle soul that you seem to think I am, Mr. Rock. I'm really very selfish. And now, after everything that was revealed this morning… I think I feel even worse about how I treated your grandson… Lee did nothing but give to me. He gave his life for me. And I gave him nothing in return. I couldn't even love him the way he deserved… I just used him…"

"You are having his child!" the old man said joyfully. "And that is the greatest thing you could give to any man!"

All of the sudden, Sakura felt the corners of her eyes begin to burn and tears oozed down her cheeks. "But I almost…" she choked. "I almost got rid of the baby… When I first found out… I… I wanted to get rid of it…"

Rock Shin patted the unexpectedly distraught girl on the shoulder. "But you didn't get rid of it," he said gently.

"Yeah, thanks to Naruto," she sniffed.

"But it was your decision," Shin said. "If you could go back and make the decision again would you choose to get rid of it?"

The young woman gasped and clutched her large stomach. "Never!" she wailed. "The baby is the one thing in my life that I'm sure of right now. Every time I feel it kicking, my heart speeds up a little. I feel like I know this kid already and if anything happened to this baby… I don't think I could take it…"

"You see," he replied with a smile. "It is because you love. And it is out of love that you feel remorse for what you think you did to Lee… You believe that you used him and caused him pain and that breaks your heart because you love Lee, even if it's not the same way he loved you. That's why you keep punishing yourself, Miss Haruno. That's why you won't let yourself go back to Konoha, no matter how badly you want to."

"It's true, I do want to go back," she sighed. "I love Konoha, it's the village where I was born and grew up. And I want my baby to be born there as well… but… I can't get rid of this feeling… this feeling like there's something wrong that I have to make right… If I could just tell him everything I need to…"

"Tell Lee, you mean?" the old one asked curiously. "Well, why don't you tell him? If that's all it will take for you to finally put all this behind you and be free, then I'm surprised you haven't done it yet! What's stopping you?"

Sakura stared at the little man with an expression of complete disbelief. "Lee is dead," she uttered. "I can't talk to him because he's dead. There is no way to talk to the dead."

"True, you cannot talk to the dead," Shin stated. "But you can write him a letter. Indeed, a letter can make it to the dead if you know where to send it! Do you have stationary, my girl?"

"Yeah," she answered cautiously. "I think there's some in the desk over there."

"Good. Now, do you have something that belonged to Lee?"

She had to stop and think about it for a moment, and then snapped her fingers as soon as the answer occurred to her. "I have this button," she said, pulling the charm out from the collar of her dress. "It came off of his shirt. Will it work?"

"Splendid!" the little man exclaimed. "Now you just write down whatever it is you feel you have to say to young Lee. And when you are finished, bring your letter, along with that button, down to the sitting room where we all met earlier and I will help you send it to him!"

"But sir," she began. "Isn't this a little strange to be…?"

"Oh no, it's all perfectly routine," he chortled. "Now I will leave you to write in peace, and I will be waiting for you downstairs when you are ready. Oh and I do help that this will make everything right for you. It's just a shame to see such a lovely face not smiling. Farewell! Farewell, dear girl!"

With another little hop, Shin bounced off the edge of the bed and waddled out the door, leaving Sakura in a bit of a daze. _Is this guy for real?_ She asked herself. _He really believes that you can right a letter to a dead person… He's certifiably nuts! But then… He is Rock Lee's relative. I guess it really wouldn't hurt me to write a letter to Lee. It might keep my mind temporarily off of the fact that I'm at the top of a monster's hit list. _

Feeling a bit better, Sakura sat down at the fine wooden desk next to her bed, took out some stationary and a pen, and began to pour her heart out.

-

After Sakura had hastily exited the sitting room that morning, Sasuke and Naruto had decided it would be wise to give her some space. So instead of going after her, they went back to the conjoining guestrooms where they were sleeping to wait out her decision. It was a wait that was not proving easy for either one of them.

"Could you quit pacing already!" Naruto huffed impatiently as he sat on the bed watching his friend march back and forth. "Geez Sasuke, you're gonna wear the carpet out."

"Hardwood floors," the Uchiha quipped back without even looking up.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" the blonde asked. "Why don't you go up there and talk to her? You want to so badly it's killing you."

"She needs her space," Sasuke sighed. "Some time alone to think about everything that's happened."

"Your words, not mine," Naruto said. "If you ask me, now would be the perfect time for you to go and finally tell Sakura how you really feel about her. If she's looking for a good reason to go back to Konoha, I'd say the guy she always been in love with finally realizing he loves her back is about as perfect as you can get. Besides, she's about to pop out a baby so you know she's probably looking for someone stable."

"That's exactly why now is a perfectly wrong time, Naruto," the dark haired boy answered. "I want to be with her, and the baby… But I don't want her to think that I'm with her because I feel sorry for her. Or that I'm desperately trying to have a family because I lost mine so long ago." Suddenly his voice sounded sadder. "And besides… she might not even want me anymore. I mean… it's not even my kid…"

Naruto gave a cynical snort. "Well it's not like ol' Fuzzy Brows is going to be takin' care of 'em. You've got no reason to worry about him."

Sasuke finally stopped pacing, and with a sigh sank down into a chair. "It's not Lee that I think Sakura might want to be with… It's you, Naruto."

"Me?" the fox-eyed boy scoffed. "Why would Sakura want me when she can be with you?"

"Well," Sasuke explained. "You and Sakura got a lot closer when I was with Orochimaru. And even before that, you always cared about her, always loved her. I always had other things that were more important to me. In a way, I think it was like I was always gone. Even the most patient heart can't wait forever for someone as stubborn as me. So I can't help but think, that maybe Sakura has moved on to the one who's loved her all along."

"Not this again," Naruto whined. "Sasuke, we already went over all of this back in Gray Brows' cabin. Do we really have to do it again?"

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you about that," Sasuke said. "When we talked about Sakura after seeing Rock Shin's genjutsu, your attitude was completely different. Before that you really seemed to consider me your romantic rival… and now you're cheering me on? What changed?"

Naruto let out a heavy pent up breath. "Nothing changed really. I just started seeing things more clearly after that. Here, I wanna show you something." He jumped down from his perch on the bed and over to where his backpack and gear had been unceremoniously dumped in the corner of the room. He scrambled noisily, digging deep into his bag before emerging with a tiny, aged scrap of paper and handing it to Sasuke.

The Uchiha had to scrutinize the chaotic childish scrawls for a moment before he could read it out loud. "Don't let Sasuke… beat you? Is that what it says?"

Naruto nodded. "That's what it says. Do you know what that is?"

"Some dumb reminder you wrote yourself?" Sasuke guessed. "I don't know."

"I've had this scrap of paper for thirteen years, Sasuke," he answered. "And I never could remember having wrote it… until I saw that vision. This is the nindo I wrote down that day. This is what I felt was most important for me to remember: don't let Sasuke beat you."

"That's pretty much been your philosophy for as long as I've known you, Naruto," Sasuke replied. "And it never had anything to do with Sakura."

"Actually it did," said Naruto. "The truth is… I didn't start to like Sakura until after I found out that she liked you. I thought…" He paused and swallowed hard. "I thought that if I could get Sakura to like me more than she liked you, it would be another way for me to beat you."

Sasuke looked at him with a mix of confusion and suspicion. "Are you saying that you never _really_ liked Sakura?"

"No, I do like her," Naruto answered. "I like her a lot… I love her, in fact. But that was the result of my pursuing her, not the cause. I went after her to beat you, and then fell for her in the process. But my relationship to her has always been connected to you, Sasuke. The more you seemed to notice her as a woman, the tighter I would try to hold on to her."

"What's your point?" Sasuke asked, sounding a bit impatient.

"My point is… I don't care if I beat you or not anymore," Naruto answered. "All I want is for Sakura to be happy. And I know she still loves you because the entire time you were gone, all she talked about was you. This whole ordeal now with the journey into the mountains and the Children of the Kyuubi has just proven that you are ready and willing to give her the love she needs. I can let go of Sakura now, Sasuke… because I know you'll be there to catch her."

For a moment there was silence as Sasuke stared at his friend. "Naruto…" he finally said. "Are you sure you're okay with me telling Sakura that I love her and trying to make it work with her?"

Naruto smiled a bit wistfully. "I always knew you'd come around eventually. But you know that from now on I'm going to be watching you like a hawk. So you'd better not ever make her sad. You know… 'cause Sakura deserves love and happiness."

"I know," Sasuke said, a strange smile spreading on his face as warmth filled his chest.

"You know that if it works out you're going to be a father, right? Are you sure your okay with the idea of being father to a kid that isn't biologically yours?" Naruto asked. "And, based on family history, there's a good chance this baby isn't going to be a looker. Can you love an ugly baby, Sasuke?"

"Naruto!" the prospective father stammered. "That's a terrible thing to say! Sakura's baby is going to be beautiful, just like her!" He paused and his voice suddenly took on a more nervous tone. "And besides, I'll love the baby no matter what it looks like because I love Sakura."

"Well then stop telling me and go tell her!" Naruto urged with a wide grin. "Unless you're afraid to."

"I'm not afraid," the Uchiha replied with a surge of confidence. "I'm going to go talk to her."

"That's my Sasuke!" Naruto cheered "Not afraid of anything! Go get her!"

The handsome young man smoothed out his black hair and walked out of the room with his shoulders held high. As soon as the door was closed and he was out of Naruto's presence, however, he let out a thick sigh and let his posture sag. Truthfully, he was scared. Terrified, really.

_Dammit,_ he cursed in his head. _All those years when I was younger, love was at the bottom of my priority list. I never cared how Sakura would react to anything I said, and that was back when I was usually cold to her. Now I want to be tender and… Look! Look at my hands! They're shaking! What's wrong with me?_

Sasuke walked all the way down the long hall to Sakura's door without even thinking about it. Then he paused and just stood there outside her bedroom, watching his trembling hands, and trying to decide exactly what to say to the girl who had always wanted him. She had already gotten more than her share of unexpected news today. Maybe it was too soon to bring up the possibility of a relationship. Unable to decide whether or not to knock, he stood there for a long time.

-

Rock Shin was asleep in one of the armchairs by the fire when Sakura entered the sitting room, but he woke up with a small squeak when she shut the door behind her and she jumped slightly.

"Didn't mean to startle you, my dear," he said with a yawn. "I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat these days, but I can wake up just as easily."

"Well, I did take kind of a long time," Sakura said. "But I finally finished my letter to Lee. And I brought his button, too. So how are we going to send it?"

"Ah! Splendid!" he said. "Oh good, I see you put his name on the envelope. Very good! Now, may I please take the letter and them button?"

Shooting the old man a curious glance, Sakura handed over the envelope then carefully pulled the red string off from around her neck. Hastily, he clipped the thread with his canine teeth and pulled it out from the buttonholes. Next reached into the pocket of his Chinese style jacket and pulled out a small red stick.

"Sealing wax?" the young woman asked.

Shin nodded. "To affix the button to your letter. You see, a small object that belonged to the deceased is the address for the letter, to make sure that it gets to the right person." He pried himself carefully from his chair and waddled over to the fireplace. With one arm he held the stick of sealing wax close to the flame until it lit then held it over the envelope in his other hand until a fat red blob fell. Then he pressed the little white button into the blob until it stuck and then handed the letter back to Sakura.

"Now all you have to do is toss it in the fire," he instructed.

"That's it?" she asked, sounded slightly disappointed. "No powders or potions to add the fire first? Just toss it in?"

"Just toss it in," he replied. "And watch it while it burns."

She took a deep breath and threw the letter into the fireplace then watched as the corners began to brown and curl before dissolving into ash. Sakura felt her chest lighten as the flames ate through the letter, from the edges inward, before finally swallowing up the tiny button in the middle. She hadn't realized how heavy the little object had grown around her neck over the past months until now that it was off her.

When it was gone, Sakura turned to Shin and asked, "How will I know if it made it to Lee?"

He smiled at her very grandfatherly and answered, "You'll just know, my girl. Now, I think I might get back to napping, if you don't mind. I really do help that this has helped you, Miss Haruno."

"It has," she said. "Thank you."

As she walked out of the sitting room and back towards her own dormitory, Sakura kept thinking about how simplistic Rock Shin's plan had been. _He's certifiably nuts… As if burning a letter with a button attached could send it into the afterlife. If I had known it was just going to be a joke, I wouldn't have taken hours writing the thing. I wrote out my deepest most heartfelt…_ Then something in her brain finally clicked. _The letter really wasn't for Lee! It was for me! The old man had me write all those things down to unburden myself. And then watching them turn into smoke along with the last bit of Lee that I was clinging to… It was all meant to free me! But wait… He said that I would know that it made it to him. What could that mean?_

Sakura was still puzzling this last point when she arrived back at her bedroom door and found her attractive teammate standing there, his knuckles raised as if prepared to knock, but an unsure expression coloring his face.

"Sasuke?" the girl asked, causing him to turn around and meet her gaze.

"Sakura," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was just coming to see you. I guess you aren't inside then. Where have you been?"

"I was just getting a snack," she lied. The letter was just too weird to mention. "Would you like to come inside?"

"Okay," he breathed.

Finding Sasuke waiting outside her door was one thing Sakura was not prepared for. Her heart was throbbing uncomfortably and her knees felt weak in a way that had nothing to do with carrying around almost twenty extra pounds. _Be cool_, she told herself. _Be cool and don't freak him out. And don't get clingy and needy. He's just being nice because of the situation, so don't read to much into it. Just treat him like a friend and teammate._ She hadn't the slightest clue that Sasuke was battling similar thoughts in his own head.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked as she let him into the room. "You haven't been seen much since you ran out on us this morning. I just wanted to know how you're taking everything."

"I'm sorry I bolted," she sighed, sitting down on the bed and patting the space next to her to indicate that he should sit next to her. "It was just a bit overwhelming is all. I'm still a little shaky from it… monsters… death… erased memories… I don't know if I'm even ready to think about it yet."

Sasuke watched her longingly as he sat down by her side. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Sakura had to think about it for a moment before replying. "Tell me about your journey, the journey north to meet Lee's grandfather, and the trip back here with him and Naruto. I wasn't there with you so I want to hear everything."

"It could take a while," he said. "Are you sure?"

"I don't care," she answered. "I really want to know what I missed. And I'll fill you in on what I've been doing here, if you want to know."

Sasuke felt a pristine flicker of pleasure deep inside him when he saw how Sakura's eyes were gleaming with excitement. He could tell her that he loved her another time. Right now, he couldn't resist the joy of just sitting there with her and watching her glowing face as he told her his story. This was what he had been missing while he was away the past eight months, what he had missed the most during those years when he was away.

Sakura never got to tell her story to Sasuke. By the time he wrapped his up tale of hermits and snow and perseverance, she was peacefully asleep lying next to him. "I'll tell you some other time," he whispered. "Even if Naruto will call me a coward when I go back to my room." Before he left, he grabbed a comforter from the foot of the bed and tucked it snuggly around the sleeping girl. Then he brushed a strand of short pink hair out of her face and pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight, Sakura."

-

The next morning found Sakura and Sasuke taking a walk together around the Suna palace courtyard. She had slept wonderfully the night before, her dreams filled with the colorful buildings and familiar faces of Konoha. When she awoke, she still could feel the lingering bliss and when Sasuke asked her over breakfast to go for a walk with him she thought for several minutes that she was still asleep. She was so happy to be walking at his side through the cool winter air.

As the sun climbed higher, though, thoughts of the previous day's strange ritual crept back into her mind, causing her to worry. _Well, now that I've gotten everything off my chest I guess I'm suppose to feel ready to go back. But I still feel unsure. What's wrong with me? Is this how the letter is supposed to work? Am I not supposed to feel totally sure, but just go with it anyways? Here I am on a walk with the man of my dreams and I can't even enjoy it. It's that crazy old coot, Rock Shin's fault. His idea was supposed to make me feel better, but all it did was make me feel more confused!_

"Are you okay, Sakura?" Sasuke asked her, interrupting her thoughts. "You look a bit dazed."

"I'm fine. I just need to sit down a minute," she replied.

The two young shinobi sat down on the ledge of one of the huge stone planters, the same one Sakura had perched on when she had her heart-to-heart with Gaara. She took a good look around her. The trees were still bare and the flowerbeds were just dull patches of soil. Finally, her gaze settled on Sasuke. But as gorgeous as he was, she just couldn't get her eyes to focus when her brain was squirming so badly.

"Sakura," he began, taking her hands. "There's a reason why I wanted to take a walk with just you today. There's something that I want to talk to you about…"

Sakura listened to each word as it left his beautiful lips until something white in the very corner of her vision stole her attention. She turned her eyes almost imperceptibly towards the middle of the planter then let out a rather loud gasp when she realized what she had seen. A single cream-colored narcissus flower had emerged overnight from the dirt and opened up and was basking in the yellow glow of a rising dessert sun.

"Sasuke look!" she exclaimed, tugging at the sleeve of his jacket.

"It's a narcissus," he replied, trying not to let his frustration at being interrupted come through in his tone.

"I know!" she said joyfully, hopping off the ledge and onto her feet. "It's the same kind of flower that I took to Lee after he was injured during our first chuunin exam! Do you know what this means, Sasuke? He got my letter! Lee got my letter! And this is his answer! He's telling me that it's okay! Everything is okay and it's time for me to come out of the dirt! It's time for me to go home!"

Sasuke was positively bewildered. He had been about to confess his feelings to Sakura then she spotted a flower and broke out into unbridled joy. And what was this about a letter? He did, however, perfectly understand what it meant when she wrapped her arms around him, her baby pressing warmly against his belly, and cried ecstatically into his shoulder.

"Take me back to Konoha, Sasuke! Take me home!"

To be continued…


	20. Chapter 20

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Free Talk: I wrote this chapter completely out before deciding that it was too long and needed to be split up. What does this mean? Well, it means I am uploading two chapters on this update, which probably means I will get fewer comments… But I am too excited to be getting towards the climax of my story to postpone posting the second part, especially for something as petty as getting comments. I must admit though, when I read the kind and encouraging comments made on this fic it just makes my day. Thank you as always for the support. And please tell me what you think!

**Chapter 20: "Did You Tell Her It Was Really Us?"**

"I'm going with you."

Sakura stared and blinked several times at the Kazekage's cool statement, but gave no verbal response. Her teammates, who stood on either side of her in front of Gaara's desk, shifted uncomfortably and exchanged furtive glances with each other. Temari and Kankurou were standing next to their little brother and seemed stunned even though neither spoke a single word.

"Pardon my asking," Sasuke finally said. "But why?"

"Haruno Sakura has been of great service to myself and my family these past eight months," Gaara responded in his usual icy tone. "As the Kazekage of Suna I believe it would only be proper of me to escort her home and make sure she arrives safely."

"But that's what she's got us for!" Naruto squawked out of turn. "You don't think Sasuke and I can handle it?"

"I did not mean to insult you," said Gaara. "It is not for her sake that I wish to accompany you, but for my own. I have grown quite fond of Haruno Sakura and escorting her home is a matter of personal importance."

Naruto grinned and raised his eyebrows suggestively. "I see," he drawled. "The Kazekage's got a little crush… eh?"

"I'm afraid you are once again mistaken," Gaara replied calmly. "My feelings for Haruno Sakura are not of a romantic nature. I love her as I have come to love my siblings. Which brings me to my next order of business. While I am away, I would like for my older brother Kankurou to fulfill the duties of Kazekage."

"Really?" the hooded young man asked eagerly. "Me? Not Temari?"

"Is this a problem?" Gaara asked.

"No," his brother answered. "No problem at all. I… I won't let you or the people of our village down."

Temari had an accusing finger raised and pointed and her mouth was already opening to object, but then she saw Sakura's hopeful eyes looking at her and her hand dropped back to her side. "I think you're up for it," she said. "Good luck, Kankurou." Then she turned to the three members of Team 7 with a grin. "Well, since I'm not needed around here, I think I might go along with you kids as well. It's been far too long since I've seen Konoha."

Sakura gave a devious smirk. "You mean it's been far too long since you've seen your Bambi," she said slyly.

The older girl turned faintly pink and scratched the back of her blonde head. "Yeah, that too. Well, I'd better go and get packed. We'll be traveling with Miss Baby Mama here and the old man, so it will probably take a bit longer than usual to get there."

"I'm just glad that I'm able to travel at all," said Sakura, patting her tummy. "With the position of the baby, though, it will probably be at least another two weeks before I give birth. I'm so happy that I'll be having my baby in Konoha. I love Suna, but the Leaf Village is my home. And it was Lee's home, too."

Gaara gave the smallest, slightest hint of a smile, the friendliest expression he was capable of. "Then I am happy for you," he said. "We shall leave today."

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed. "And in the off-chance we run into one of those nasty monsters, I'll just unleash some of my Kyuubi power and then it'll worship me as its god!"

"Naruto!" Sasuke stammered. "Don't you remember what Shin told you on the trip here to Suna? If you use the Kyuubi's chakra, it will just confuse the monster and it will rip you open like a sack of rice to get the Kyuubi out!"

"Well how is he so sure?" Uzumaki huffed, crossing his arms defiantly. "He doesn't have a demon trapped inside him."

Sasuke let out a tiny amused laugh at his best friend's childishness. "Don't get all bent out of shape, Naruto. He's just trying to look out for you. And it doesn't really matter because we're not going to run into any of the Children of the Kyuubi."

"Yeah, yeah… whatever," Naruto sighed. "Let's just go pack."

-

The sound of girlish laughter bubbled through the woods and into Sasuke and Naruto's ears as they walked along the worn out foot trail. The blonde immediately spun his head around and growled when he caught a glimpse of Sakura, a couple of meters behind them, talking and laughing with Lee's grandpa.

"This has been going on the whole trip!" Naruto snorted. "And I'm sick of it! He's a dirty old man!"

"He's just being friendly," Sasuke calmly told his friend.

"Friendly?" Naruto stammered. "Just look at him sweet-talking her like that! It's… it's downright indecent!" Then he stopped in his tracks and walked back towards the cheerful duo. "Alright! Just what is going on here?" he asked, keeping pace with them while walking backwards.

"Shin was just showing me some of Lee's baby pictures that he brought with him," Sakura replied, with a glowing smile. Then she held out a photo of a tiny baby with enormous round black eyes and even bigger black eyebrows. "He looks the same as ever, doesn't he?"

"Er… yeah," her baffled teammate replied. He had already seen Lee as an infant in the picture of his parents, but it was still a shock to see a baby with that odd face. "Very… cute… So I noticed that you and Gray Brows have become good friends while we've been traveling."

"Oh yes," Sakura answered. "He's such a nice man, and he's lived a fascinating life! Did you know that he knew the Fourth Hokage?"

Naruto's eyes immediately lit up upon hearing this and any accusations he had planned to tell the old man were tossed aside. "Really?" he asked excitedly. "You knew him? What was he like?"

The old man nodded fondly. "He was the most brilliant shinobi I'd ever met," he said. "The Fourth's knowledge of the Kyuubi was invaluable in my research on the Children. Yes, a good, good man indeed."

The ecstatic young man was about to ask more about the deceased Hokage, but Sakura interrupted him. "I hate to be such a burden," she said politely. "But the sun is starting to go down, I'm getting pretty hungry and my ankles are twice their normal size. Do you think maybe we could stop for the night?"

"Stop?" Naruto whined. "For the whole night? But if we keep walking through the night, we'll be home before morning. You said you were up for it earlier."

"We've been on the road to Konoha for almost four days," said Temari, appearing at Sakura's side, apparently out of nowhere, and taking Naruto by surprise. "And we've only taken three stops that were longer than an hour. Let's give Pinky a full night's rest. Come on, the girl's walkin' for two."

"Well…" Naruto began, scratching his chin.

Suddenly a cloud of fine sand swirled onto the path ahead of the little group, forcing them to a halting stop. The grains swelled and condensed until the stoic form of the Kazekage materialized in the center. "I am thinking that Sakura could use a good long rest," he said. "Let us stop for the evening."

"Well, I guess that settles it," Shin chirped. "Let's find a nice place to set up camp and I will cook dinner for us all!"

-

Rock Shin's dinner of stewed fish and vegetables was remarkably good and everybody had seconds. They had found a nice little clearing that wasn't far from a clean cold stream, and set up a crackling fire in the center. After finishing their meal, with warm full bellies, everyone fell asleep under the glow of a waning moon. The only exception was Gaara, who kept a silent guard from the treetops above.

Snuggled up in her sleeping bag and surrounded by friends, Sakura felt safe and warm. She fell asleep thinking about Sasuke. He had been especially quiet during the trip so far, which wasn't unusual for him, except that before they left Suna, she really felt he was starting to open up to her more. Truthfully, the two of them had barely spoken to each other since they took that walk together in the palace courtyard. Sakura fell asleep thinking about how he had wanted to tell her something and she cut him off, and vaguely worrying if she'd hurt his feelings.

That night the Prince of Flowers appeared in Sakura's dreams that night. It began much like the dream she'd had the night before Naruto and Sasuke went on the mission without her. In this dream, however, she was no longer a child but her grown up self, and when she met her Prince in that vast field of yellow and white flowers now he seemed so incredibly small, just a little boy. Still, they lay together, finger laced, staring up at the distant white clouds that crawled across an endless blue sky. Unlike her previous dream, the sky didn't turn green and her nostrils weren't clouded with the putrid stench of rotting flesh. There was no monster anymore.

With a gasp and a jolt, the young woman awoke, her heart rate unusually fast. It took her a moment to calm herself down. "That's certainly a change," she mumbled quietly to herself. "Waking up because there _isn't_ a monster in my dreams."

"I'm terribly sorry," a squeaky voice whispered from near the fire. "Did I wake you up, dear girl?"

"No, don't worry about it Shin," she answered groggily. "I just woke up because I needed… some water. That's all. I'm thirsty. Why aren't you asleep?"

"Oh I just couldn't really sleep," he said softly.

"Are you thinking about Lee?" Sakura asked gently, as she climbed out of her sleeping bag with some difficulty and joined the old man on the trunk of a fallen tree near the fire.

"I suppose I am," the elder sighed. "I'm a bit nervous of how my old heart might react to seeing his memorial stone. I know he's not buried under it, but still…"

"No, I understand," she responded. "You know, I used to worry that when the baby was born it would look like Lee, and that whenever I looked at it I would feel sad. But that was back when thoughts of Lee carried such deep feelings of shame and remorse. Now I feel like if this child reminds me of its father, it will fill me with feelings of gratitude and hope. And it's all thanks to you and your letter."

Rock Shin smiled somewhat sadly. "You are a very dear young woman," he said. "And I am so happy that Lee got your letter and sent you his blessing to return home. Indeed, your future is a bright one. It seems I just have nothing else to think about except for the fact that my grandson's life has really come to an end. And it's such an early ending."

The last word out of the old man's mouth, coupled with the fact that they were sitting together on a fallen tree suddenly reminded Sakura of the night of Tenten's party when she and Lee sat together on a log bench. She smiled and said, "Someone very wise once told me that 'endings don't matter much' and 'it's what you do before them that matters.' So you shouldn't just dwell on Lee's ending and feel sad. Think about everything he did during his life. Despite not being able to use ninjutsu or genjutsu, Lee was a great shinobi. He proved everyone's expectations of him wrong and that's something to be proud of."

"Well spoken," Shin responded with a nod. "I am very proud of him. And I suppose you're right that I should try to spend my remaining days in peace, knowing that my grandson and his parents were brave, kind people and they died heroically."

"And don't forget that you're going to have a great-grandbaby to come and visit," Sakura reminded. "I would love it if you could teach my baby just a fraction of the things you know."

"Indeed," he said with a smile. "That is something I look forward to. Now, why are you really awake, Miss Haruno? You've been sitting here for ten minutes and you haven't bothered to get yourself a drink. I take it you're not really thirsty?"

"Actually," Sakura said cautiously. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you, Shin. You say that my memories of the attack were erased… But is it possible that they may still exist somewhere in my subconscious?"

"I'm afraid not," he answered. "The seal I used on your memories was permanent erasure to prevent you from being traumatized or emotionally damaged. Why do you ask? Do you want to remember?"

"It's not that," she said. "It's just… Ever since I was a little kid and especially in the past nine months I've had these dreams where I'm attacked by a monster, or it kills my teammates… or even worse, my baby. I just thought that maybe it's related to that day. Maybe the monster in my dreams is one of the Children of the Kyuubi. It was huge and covered in grayish brown fur, and it had a head like a wolf or a hyena. And it smelled… just awful, like rotting meat. Does that sound at all like the Children?"

"That sounds like it could be just about any monster," Shin replied, trying to disguise his shock and confusion. "Including the kind of monster invented by a young girl's deepest fears and anxieties."

"I guess you're probably right," she sighed. "After all, you are the one who sealed my memories. And I guess the Prince of Flowers isn't a real person, just a manifestation of something else buried in my brain."

"Prince of Flowers, you say?" asked the old man.

Sakura blushed slightly. "Yeah, he's just… It's kind of dumb, but there's this little boy that also appears in my dreams sometimes. He's got sad eyes and dark hair and… and he's sort of like a guardian angel. I mean… in my dreams… when he's near me, I feel safe. And I think he led me to Suna too, because he knew I'd be safe and find friends there. I just thought that maybe… he was real. But it's silly, isn't it?"

"I don't think it is silly at all," Shin told her. "I think perhaps this boy really is your guardian angel. And if that's the case then I am happy that you have him. And I hope your Prince continues to take care of you and bring you good dreams. Miss Haruno…" Shin had been about to say something else but he felt his young friend's body leaning against him warmly and looked over to find that she had fallen back asleep. "Dear sweet girl…" he whispered.

Even very pregnant Sakura was still small and rather light, so Rock Shin didn't have any trouble carrying her back to her sleeping bag and tucking her in. He was heading back to the fire to sit for a few more minutes when two figures emerged from the shadowy woods in front of him.

"What was that all about?" one of them asked.

"Is she having trouble sleeping?" asked the other.

"Ah, Mister Uchiha, Mister Uzumaki," Shin greeted softly as the two boys stepped into the fire glow. "Miss Haruno just had something she needed to ask me to get it off of her chest. She's fine really. Why are you two awake?"

"Naruto had to pee," said Sasuke, sounding a bit annoyed. "And when he got up the dummy stepped on my hand and woke me up, and then I had to go too. So what's this thing that Sakura had to get off her chest? It wasn't something that would endanger her, was it?"

"Oh not at all," the old man replied. "Apparently your lovely teammate has somehow retained some small bits of subconscious memories of the attack thirteen years ago. It still has me quite baffled. I must say, the only way any trace of memory could have survived my seal is if she has some sort of stubborn alter ego inside her brain, desperately clinging to them. They're incomplete though." He let out a small chuckle. "It seems her mind has combined the two of you into one little boy that she considers to be her guardian angel."

"Did you tell her it was really us?" Naruto asked.

"I didn't think that was necessary," said Shin. "It seems to comfort her to think of him as her guardian angel. And besides that, I think she's finally getting over her nightmares about the monsters. I would hate to tell her anything that might trigger them to start again. Now, let us all get some sleep. Tomorrow is the last day of our journey!"

"I guess there's no use in pondering things now," said Sasuke. "As long as Sakura is happy and safe. Goodnight then."

"Yeah, goodnight," Naruto snorted softly. He definitely seemed more upset by what Shin told them than his teammate did.

Both young men returned to their sleeping bags on the ground near Sakura and fell back asleep easily. Sakura's talk with Rock Shin must have eased his mind, because he too fell quickly asleep, sitting up by the fire.

To be continued…


	21. Chapter 21

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Free Talk: Now we are approaching the climax of the story so I hope I did a good enough job at making it exciting. Please tell me what you think. And Happy New Year!

**Chapter 21: "Just Keep Running"**

Sakura felt wonderful when she awoke the next morning and it showed on her glowing face. She still was not sure what was going on with Sasuke, who was as quiet as ever as they walked through the woods, but in all other matters she was content. _If Rock Shin was right that the monster in my dreams is just a product of my anxiety, than it's a pretty good sign that it wasn't in my dream last night. I think my anxieties must finally be coming to an end now. And why wouldn't they? Even if I'm not completely ready to be someone's mother, I have my teammates and friends to support me, and Lee's blessing. And before the end of the day I will be back in the best place in the entire world. Konoha. Home._

Sakura's cheerful mood helped her to set a quick pace for her little traveling group, and by midday, they were within an hour's walk of Konoha. Naruto and Sasuke were out in front leading the way and Gaara and Shin were in the back, bringing up the rear. In between, Sakura was walking next to Temari and having a spirited discussion with the Sand girl about baby names.

"Nadeshiko?" the blonde asked, wrinkling her nose. "You really want to name the kid Nadeshiko if it's a girl?"

"What's wrong with Nadeshiko?" Sakura asked innocently. "Ino says it's the flower that represents the ideal beauty of womanhood."

Temari shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno, with you being named Sakura and all, it just seems a bit cheesy… You know, flower overload. But I guess it is your kid and you can name it whatever you want. So what if the baby is a boy?"

"I haven't thought about that as much," said Sakura. There are just so many cute names for boys, but they're all kind of the same. It's hard to think of one that's really special."

"Well are there any boy names that are common in your family?" Temari asked.

"You mean family names?" Sakura replied. "Not that I know of. But maybe in Lee's family… I'll ask his grandpa… Hey Shin!" she called congenially, slowing down and turning her head to face her elderly friend. "Shin, are there any names… Gaara… Where's Shin?"

The redhead, who was now walking by himself, gazed back at her. "He's gone off into the woods," he said coolly. "He would not tell me why, but he said not to make a big deal or to alarm you with his departure. I assume he had to use the bathroom."

"Oh," Sakura breathed. She was trying to appear calm and collected, even though her insides were squirming with unexplainable dread. Even the baby seemed scared and kicked her painfully hard, causing her to wince. _Where could he have gone off to?_ Her concern must have shown on her face, though, because when she rejoined Temari the older girl immediately asked if she was all right.

"I… I'm fine…" Sakura said softly. "It's just… I'm a little worried about Lee's grandpa. He's an old man and he's gone off alone into the woods. I hope he'll be okay."

"Is that all that's got you looking all freaked out?" Temari replied. "Don't worry about it, Pinky. That guy is old, but he seems to have it together. He knows what he's doing."

"You're right," Sakura said. "I shouldn't worry." Even as she said these words, the young woman could feel her heartbeat getting faster and her forehead growing moist with nervous perspiration. She couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

"Hey look, we're almost out of the woods!" Temari exclaimed, pointing towards an opening in the trees ahead of them that was filtering in bright sunlight.

Sakura felt only slightly relieved that they would be out in the open soon. Rock shin still hadn't returned. Then she heard a noise coming from deep in the forest behind her. A whisper. She tried to ignore it, but a couple of minutes later she heard it again, louder this time, and she immediately spun around. "Shin? Is that you?" she asked nervously. Her traveling companions all stopped and looked at her strangely. "You all heard it, right? That low whispering sound?"

"I didn't hear anything," said Temari.

"Me either," Naruto agreed.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Gaara asked. "Do you need a drink of water?"

Sasuke just stood there and stared at her.

"You… you all think I'm losing it, don't you?" she stuttered.

"We just think you're tired," said Temari. "It's a good thing we're almost to Konoha."

"Please, just stop and be still for a few minutes," the pregnant girl pleaded. "You'll hear it! It's an evil whisper… low and scary!"

The five young shinobi stood in the middle of the forest path for fifteen minutes, and nobody heard anything besides the twittering of birds and the gentle rustle of tree branches. Not even Sakura heard anything strange.

"Maybe I am just tired," she sighed. "Let's keep going. Still, I swear I heard…"

Just as the travelers had begun to walk again a sound penetrated through the trees, not a low sinister whisper like Sakura had described, but a panicked squeak, quiet at first then growing louder and louder. "Now that I heard," Naruto announced. "Isn't that Gray Brows' voice?"

"It is!" Sakura exclaimed. Then she cupped her hands around her mouth and called back in the direction of the shrill cry. "Shin! We're over here! Did something happen?"

The reply was another terrified squawk, longer this time, a scream, and getting closer. As the sound got louder, the young people realized that it wasn't just incoherent screaming. Rock Shin was yelling actual words, and as he burst through the woods behind them, arms flailing, those words became suddenly very clear.

"Run!" he shouted. "Run young friends! Get to Konoha! Get Miss Haruno to Konoha and don't slow down for me!"

"Wait, calm down…" Sakura began. But the old man cut her off.

"No time! No time! Just run!"

A sickening crash of splintering branches and snapping twigs exploded a few feet behind the panicked man, and the children stared up in wide-eyed horror at the massive, hairy arm that had just ripped through the trees. Sakura's feet were glued to the ground with fear. Her heartbeat was now so strong that her whole body throbbed with each pulse, and her mind was so numb with fright she barely felt anything when Sasuke and Naruto each grabbed one of her hands and began running full speed, pulling her along. Through the edges of her eyes she could see Gaara and Temari running along either side of her teammates. Someone was missing.

"Shin!" she yelled, wrenching her neck around. "Where is he?"

"He'll be fine!" Sasuke yelled back. "Just keep running!"

Even though they only had seen a glimpse of the creature's arm, none of the young shinobi had any doubts as to the identity of their predator. It was one of the Children of the Kyuubi. The unthinkable, a one-in-a-million chance attack, was happening. And it wasn't a dream. All Sasuke and Naruto could think about was getting Sakura back to Konoha where she would safe, and that singular thought was what drove their feet to beat faster and faster against the ground. Even the blinding light of the sun as they emerged from the forest into a field of grass couldn't slow them down.

They knew that the monster was hot on their trail, but they had no idea how close until a roar, loud as thunder, tore through the atmosphere right behind them. The sound was like the howl of an injured wolf combined with the screech of pure human terror and as soon as it cut into their ears, Sasuke, Naruto, Temari, and Gaara all felt something lock onto their ankles and cement them in place. The only one unaffected was Sakura, but because her teammates were holding her hands, when they stopped it yanked her to a stop as well.

"What's wrong?" she shrieked. "What happened?" Then, glancing over her shoulder she could see that her friends were completely petrified, except for their eyes and lips.

"Keep running!" Sasuke yelled through his frozen jaw. "You'll have to wriggle out of our grip, but you need to get back to Konoha!"

"But what about…!" she squealed.

"It's not after us!" Naruto growled. "It just did this to get us out of the way while it hunts you down! Now run!"

Sakura didn't want to leave her friends like this and Shin was still unaccounted for. At a loss, she fell to her knees and began crying. "This is it! This is the end!" Then the smell hit her, so powerful and disgusting it made her bend over and wretch. It reminded her of the early months of her pregnancy. She suddenly gasped. "The baby!" It was exactly the motivation she needed to pry her fingers out from her teammates' iron grip and get back on her feet.

She began running as fast as any pregnant woman could, but it wasn't fast enough. The creature's breath was hot and wet on the back of her neck. But she kept moving her legs. If she could just make it back to Konoha, her baby would be safe. Then, in the worst possible turn of bad luck, her little foot caught on a rock in the middle of the grassy field. Her ankle twisted painfully and she flew to the ground face forward, protectively holding her belly as she went down with a scream. She rolled herself over onto her back to get up, but the creature was now right above her.

Sakura's nightmares could never have prepared her for the shock of seeing one of the Children of the Kyuubi looming over her less than a meter away. It was the most grotesque thing she had ever laid eyes on, at least three times the size of any man, wrapped in powerful muscles, and covered with thick brown fur. The beast wore no clothes, but stood on its hind limbs like a human. Both its hands and feet were huge and equipped with long sharp yellow claws. The neck was as thick as a tree trunk and supported a hideous wolf like head with massive jaws, pointed ears, and small yellow eyes. It had the snout of a hyena, long and tapered, lined top and bottom with menacing teeth, with a vile tongue dripping gooey saliva. Most terrifying of all, was the fact that its mouth was stained with fresh red blood.

"Shin!" Sakura gasped despairingly, but when she spoke she had to breathe in through her nose and the stench hit her full strength. The smell of putrid flesh was so strong that despite being in mortal peril, the girl had to lean over to the side and vomit repeatedly into the grass. "He's dead…" she choked, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. Then she looked up at the monster that was about to kill her and gritted her teeth defiantly. She was going to die anyway, so it really didn't matter what she said.

"You killed him!" she yelled with teary eyes. "He was my friend and you killed him! And you used a jutsu on my other friends so that they can't move!"

The creature stared back at her through tiny black slits in its yellow eyes and though its mouth never moved Sakura could hear its voice. It was that sinister whisper from before, speaking directly into her mind.

"_They got in my way,"_ it hissed. _"Got in the way of my mission. As the last of my race, it is my final duty to kill the only one to ever survive an attack from one of my sisters. It was purely by accident that you became our victim that day, but you should have died. And today, at last you will. I do my sisters honor in killing you, young one…"_

"You can't kill me!" the terrified girl shouted. "Not as long as I have my teammates nearby!" She pointed over at the frozen forms of Sasuke and Naruto who were not that far away.

"_They are powerless to help you now,"_ the creature spoke into her mind. _"The seal that once protected you has been dissolved. Nobody can protect you now."_

"I… I'm not afraid to die," Sakura stuttered, though she was so wracked with terror she wasn't sure if she really believed it or just said it impulsively. "And if there was a way that you could kill just me, I would probably just give up all hope and let you kill me." She paused and sniffed as tears were now liberally dribbling down her face. "But if you kill me, you will be killing my unborn child as well, and that would be a fate worse than death for me. So I beg you, as one intelligent being to another, please have mercy. My baby has done nothing to wrong you. Please don't kill it…" Then she began to sob and hiccup.

"_The Children of the Kyuubi show mercy to no one!"_ With this cruel statement, the monster raised its mighty clawed hand to strike the desperate young woman.

-

"What's going on? I can't tell!" Naruto roared through his teeth. "It's got her pinned down on the ground and it's not attacking her!"

"Her mouth is moving," said Sasuke. "But I can't hear what she's saying. Is she trying to reason with it? Errrr! If I could just get over to her! I can't even use my chakra! This must be one of those mysterious jutsu that Rock Shin was talking about."

"I cannot manipulate the sand," Gaara said from left.

"This sucks!" Temari stammered from the right. "She's ten meters away and we're powerless to help her!"

"I'd tap into the Kyuubi's chakra if I could," Naruto growled. "It might draw that thing's attention over here… I'd rather be torn open like a sack of rice than have the same thing happen to her… I…" He stopped for a moment when he saw the creature's arm rise up to swipe at Sakura. "Oh god! It's going to kill her! I can't watch!"

Sasuke, however, couldn't take his eyes off of her. Somewhere deep in his heart he was still hoping for a miracle, even as the claws swung down. "Oh my god…" he uttuered.

-

Sakura was clutching desperately onto her belly in a feeble attempt to protect her baby as the vicious hand of death descended upon her. Then suddenly, time seemed to slow down and the arc of the beast's claws became a crawl, as if the air were thick and viscous. Sakura could feel a hot and volatile power surging from her stomach and coursing through her veins. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt before, a supremely intoxicating chakra flowing to every inch of her body, infusing her with strength and courage she never thought possible.

Without even having to think about it, her hand shot out and caught the creature's huge arm and twisted it backwards with a disgusting snap. The monster threw back its head in an agonized roar as the bone broke, and Sakura used the brief moment to leap up to her feet, as agilely as if she weren't pregnant at all. A half-second later, the beast was back on her, this time lunging with its massive bloody jaws. But once again, Sakura was somehow one step ahead. She took a step back to avoid the assault of razor sharp teeth then swiftly kicked up as hard as she could. It was a direct hit. The monster's lower jaw slammed upward, severing the slimy tongue that had been lolling out of its mouth in a splatter of blood.

The tortured screams of the monster couldn't slow Sakura down. She was making moves at twice her pre-pregnant speed now. Like a cat, she dashed behind the injured and disoriented creature and climbed up onto its back, her small hands digging into the dense, coarse fur. She wrapped both of her arms around the monster's neck and pulled back as hard as she possibly could. She pulled for her unborn baby who she wanted to protect the most. She pulled for Lee who had given his precious life so that she might live. She pulled for Shin who was now almost certainly dead as well. She pulled for Naruto and Sasuke, her beloved teammates who she was finally reunited with. She pulled with all her strength, until her arms ached and she had used up every last drop of the mysterious and wonderful chakra that had been bestowed on her.

With a loud crack, the creature's spine had snapped and, with its spinal cord severed, the last of the Children of the Kyuubi fell to the ground, dead. Completely exhausted, Sakura slid off of its hairy back and onto the grass and just stood there, motionless.

The moment the monster died, all four shinobi who had been petrified were instantly freed and began running towards the scene of the fight. They had seen everything, how Sakura's skin had begun to glow a reddish hue right before she caught the monster's arm, and how the chakra had swirled all around her, spinning grass into the air and whipping her hair up. Sasuke and Naruto had seen something almost exactly the same when they watched Rock Lee kill one of the Children almost nine months ago. Sakura's moves even looked like his when she was fighting. Both boys also remembered vividly what happened to Lee after his fight was won. They ran, terrified, as fast as they could to Sakura's side, but neither Sasuke nor Naruto got there in time to catch her before she collapsed to the ground in a motionless heap.

To be continued…


	22. Chapter 22

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Free Talk: Here is the penultimate (second to last) chapter of the story. The hardest part of this one was writing Sasuke's part. I find it much more difficult to write guys like him then say, spunky guys like Naruto or naïve guys like Lee. I hope that I did an okay job, though. The ending of the last chapter, along with this chapter is actually what I consider the climax of the story. The last chapter will be the resolution and tying up any loose ends. I hope I don't forget any… Is there anything I seem to have forgotten? Thank you so much for the comment and support! Please tell me what you think!

**Chapter 22: "I Thought You Were Going To Take Care Of Her"**

_Don't be dead, Sakura! Please don't be dead!_

It was all Sasuke could think as he sprinted through the field of grass towards the still form of Haruno Sakura. He cursed in his head that he hadn't been fast enough to catch her before she fainted and fell to the ground, as if catching her in his arms would change what had just happened. Sakura had achieved a feat that supposedly only members of the Rock family were capable of. She killed one of the Children of the Kyuubi. Now her teammates and friends were faced with the terrifying reality that, for members of the Rock family, killing one of the Children carried a one hundred percent mortality rate.

Running on sheer determination, Sasuke was sure he'd be the first to reach the fallen kunoichi. Gaara, however, had traveled by sand, and by the time Sasuke had fallen to his knees and lifted Sakura's unconscious head into his lap the Kazekage was already attending to her. Naruto and Temari arrived only a fraction of a second later.

"Is she…?" Naruto asked in a shaky voice. His face was painted with a fear that was rare on him.

Gaara remained silent for another moment as he knelt next to his former maid, evaluating her condition. Naruto, Sasuke, and Temari were all staring at him in wide-eyed terror, waiting for his reply. "She's alive," he finally answered and a collective sigh of relief was released. "She's unconscious, but she is breathing and she has a pulse. I think she is just exhausted. If possible, we should wait until she wakes up before we move her. She could have internal injuries that cannot be detected." He stopped and looked towards his sister, who still looked shaken. "Temari, I think you should go back and look for Rock Shin, and if he is alive tend to his injuries."

The blonde girl nodded obediently, quite different from her normal fireball self, and gave her pink-haired friend a last sympathetic look before dashing off.

Upon hearing that the woman he cared most about in the world was alive, Sasuke felt utter relief welling in his chest, but he was not the type to jump for joy. He gently stroked her cheek with the back of his knuckles and touched her lips just to feel the warm air streaming out for himself. Yes, she was definitely breathing. "Wake up, Sakura," he said, softly enough so that nobody else could hear. "Wake up and let me take you home."

While Sasuke celebrated the news that Sakura wasn't dead in his quiet way, Naruto was positively beaming. "She amazing!" he proclaimed. "Absolutely amazing! Not only was she able to use the unique ability of the Rock family, she did it and lived! She's got to be the first person ever to do that!"

"Do you not find it odd?" Gaara asked, looking up with serious eyes. "Sakura should not have been able to kill the creature that attacked her. Rock Shin had said that only a specialized form of chakra allows one to kill the Children of the Kyuubi. And possessing such chakra is an advanced bloodline exclusive to the Rock family."

"But Sakura doesn't have the advanced bloodline of the Rock family!" Naruto blurted out, ignoring the fact that he was stating the obvious.

Sasuke suddenly gasped, startling the other two young men standing near him. "Sakura doesn't have the advanced bloodline, but the baby…"

Before the Uchiha could finish his sentence, Sakura's green eyes shot opened and, rather than being groggy, she seemed utterly terrified. Her hands clutched clumsily at her belly and she tried to sit up but didn't have the strength. "I can't feel it!" she wailed, though her voice was weak. "I can't feel the baby!"

"Calm down, Sakura," Sasuke urged, rubbing her shoulders to try to relax her. "Just wait a few minutes and the baby will kick again." He was silently praying that what he said was true, even if he doubted it.

"It's not just that!" the panicky girl cried. "I can't feel the baby's chakra! Ever since the second week of my pregnancy I could feel the baby's chakra swirling around inside of me and now I can't! I can't feel anything!"

Sasuke felt his heart plummet to his feet, and from Naruto's face, he was certain they were having the same internal reaction. It wasn't difficult to piece together what must have happened. Sakura herself realized it immediately and was mortified.

_The baby is a descendant of the Rock family!_

"Oh my god!" she shouted. "I didn't mean to do it! I stole my own child's chakra! I didn't mean to! And now…! Oh god! It's dead, isn't it? My baby is dead!"

"You don't know that for sure," Sasuke said, trying to reassure the hysterical girl. "Maybe you can't feel the baby's chakra because you're weak from the fight."

"But releasing their specialized chakra kills members of the Rock family! Every time! It's what killed Lee! And now it's what killed his baby!" Her tone became somewhat softer and more hopeless and she began to cry. "Because I took its chakra… I stole it…"

"What you are claiming is impossible," Gaara said calmly. "It is true that there is an exchange of chakra between mother and child via the placenta. But it is the child that expels excess chakra into the mother's body. She cannot actively extract it for her own use."

For a moment, the three members of Team 7 stared at the Kazekage incredulously. To Naruto and Sasuke, what Gaara had said was something they never even pondered. To Sakura, however, his words sounded strangely familiar. She had read it somewhere.

"Have you been reading my pregnancy books?" she asked curiously.

"I have," Gaara answered. "In my quest to become more learned in all aspects of medical jutsu. Do not feel that you have done anything wrong, Haruno Sakura. You haven't."

Sakura quickly resumed her crying. "It doesn't matter anyways if my baby is dead… It's dead…"

Sasuke wrapped his arms around Sakura's shoulders and pulled her tightly against his chest, pressing his cheek against her pink hair, which was wet and matted with perspiration. There was nothing he could do, no way he could possibly console this grieving and heartbroken woman. It cut him like a knife, and it wasn't just because he loved Sakura and hated to see her in pain. In a way it was as if he had lost his own child. After all, Sasuke wanted to spend his life with Sakura, and that life would have included raising this baby together. Even if he wasn't crying, he couldn't stop the stinging sensation in the corners of his eyes.

Naruto knelt at Sakura's side and held her hand, his eyes sad but optimistic. "The baby saved your life," he said softly. "By killing one of their own, you've removed the mark of the Children. And you're alive, Sakura! Do you realize how miraculous that is?"

"If the baby is dead, I don't know if I want to live," she cried. "Even if I have other children in the future… I already loved this one… And what's going to happen now? It's still inside me!"

The three Leaf shinobi were all clinging to each other in desperation and paid no attention to what Gaara was doing until Naruto noticed that he had started a fire and was holding a kunai over it. "What are you doing?" the blonde asked in a shaky voice.

The Kazekage looked past Naruto towards Sakura's belly. "We have to get the baby out," he said gravely. "If there is any chance that the child is alive, it must be delivered as quickly as possible. Haruno Sakura is too weak to push, so inducing labor is out of the question. There is only one other option."

"You're going to cut her open?" Uzumaki gasped. "Sakura, are you going to let him do this to you?"

The young woman stared back with puffy red eyes. "If there is any chance that my baby will live, do whatever you have to. Besides, I would trust Gaara with my life."

Gaara gave a small nod then his frosty green gaze moved upwards to where his older sister had just reappeared. Her facial expression was blank and her hands were smeared with blood. She didn't have to say anything, just shook her head, and it was obvious that Rock Shin was dead. It was probably a good thing that she remained silent because Sakura did not need to hear about what had happened.

"Temari," Gaara said. "I am glad that you have returned. I need you to assist me in a medical procedure. I am going to deliver Haruno Sakura's baby and I need you to perform an anaesthetizing jutsu on her. In our lessons you were much better than I at it."

"Okay," she softly replied, adding a nod. "Are you sure you know what you are doing? If anything goes wrong and Pinky's life is in danger…"

"Do not worry," the redhead said. "I will not put her life at risk."

The anaesthetizing jutsu required that Sasuke and Naruto hold their frightened teammate up in a sitting position while Temari focused a nerve-blocking chakra to her fingers and touched it to the girl's exposed back, over her spine. Sakura immediately felt a tingling sensation sweep down her back and through her legs. Then it changed over to absolute numbness from her chest down. She had performed this jutsu before, but never had it performed on her and it felt strange. She was at the same time terrified and confused, but having her head and shoulders in Sasuke's lap kept her calm enough not to express these feelings too boisterously.

"Just look up here at me and Sasuke," Naruto urged, looking over his friend's shoulder at her. He could see Gaara pushing up her shirt and exposing her enormous tummy through the corner of his eye. "Don't look down at what they're doing. Keep looking at us."

Sakura swallowed hard and nodded nervously. _Naruto is right_, she thought. _Even though a part of me wants to look and see the baby as soon as it comes out, I shouldn't… I need to stay calm, relaxed… Watching Gaara slice me open won't help with that._ She squeezed her eyes shut for a minute and said a silent prayer in her head. _Please, let the baby be alive. Please, just let it live… I know it's probably impossible… but I need this child… Just let me hear it cry…_

Two pairs of eyes stayed vigilantly on her, Naruto's bright blue and Sasuke's smoky black. She could feel pressure on her stomach, but no pain at all. Though the surgical procedure really lasted less than half an hour, it felt like an eternity to Sakura. She continued to look up at the faces of her boys until she noticed Sasuke's eyes darting quickly over towards Gaara then back to her. Then he looked at Gaara again, longer this time. It wasn't the Kazekage he was looking at but what he held in his hands, a tiny wet body, limp and blue.

"Is that…?" the Uchiha breathed.

Gaara didn't respond because the answer was obvious and because he was busy tying off the umbilical cord with two of Temari's hair bands then cutting through it with a sterilized kunai. He continued to cradle the little body in one hand while he reached urgently for his discarded cloak with the other. "He is not breathing," he said as he wrapped the newborn in his cloak and rubbed vigorously to try to stimulate his tiny heart and lungs.

"He?" Sakura whimpered.

"It is a son," Gaara told her as he continued his attempt to resuscitate the infant. He rubbed the tiny bundle with his palm for several more minutes before setting it down on the ground and leaning over to breathe into the boy's teeny mouth.

Temari, now with only her top ponytails intact, was crouching over Sakura's abdomen, tediously healing her incision, so the patient had to crane her neck to try to catch a glimpse of what was happening to her son. She wanted to see him so badly, wanted to see him alive and hear him crying. But instead there was silence, and all Sakura could see was an itty bitty hand poking out of Gaara's jacket, limp and blue.

"Let him live," she muttered through tensely clenched teeth. "Please, let him live." But as the minutes dragged on and her grip on her two teammates hands grew painfully tight, nothing miraculous occurred. When Gaara finally stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt, she felt as if a kunai had pierced her through the heart. That was it. It was all over now.

"It is too late," Gaara spoke, sounding surprisingly mournful and sympathetic, though he shed no tears. "I am afraid this little one could not be saved."

"Nooooooooooooooooo!" Sakura moaned, squeezing her eyes closed to try to stop the liquid that had begun to ooze out in rivulets. "No! No! Nooooo!" She felt Naruto pull her hand up and press it against his cheek tenderly and discovered that his face, too, was wet with tears. Sasuke's grip, however, seemed to have gone slack, and she could feel the warmth of his body pulling away.

"Hold her, Naruto," he said in a steely voice. His face was calm and determined, and unlike Sakura, Naruto, and Temari, without one tear. As he transferred the bawling girl's head and shoulder into his best friend's lap, the blonde boy glared at him through wet red eyes.

"You're leaving her now?" Naruto spat. "When she is in more pain than she has ever been in during her entire life? I thought you had changed! I thought you were going to take care of her!"

Naruto's words seemed to reach everyone's ears except their intended target's. Sasuke kept walking over to where Gaara was cleaning off the dead infant and preparing to hand him back to his mother. There was only one thought on his mind. _He can't be dead. _Without so much as asking, the Uchiha scooped the little baby, cloak and all, out of the Kazekage's arms and set him down in the grass. Then he bent over and continued trying to revive him by the exact same methods that Gaara had used.

"What are you doing?" Naruto shouted. "It's too late, Sasuke! Just let Sakura hold her baby! She needs to see him!"

"Please," she said weakly. "Please just let my baby be. He's been through enough…"

"See what you're doing to her!" Naruto yelled. "She can't take anymore! Just stop it, Sasuke! Let him go!"

There was a brief moment of stillness as Sasuke stopped breathing into the baby's mouth and sat up, seemingly calm. Then he turned his head and stared at Naruto with an expression so intense, the blonde thought for a moment that his friend was going to use his Sharingan. "I will not let Sakura's baby die!" he growled fiercely. "In the past I ignored her feelings for me and I denied my feelings for her. I never showed her even a fraction of the love she showed me. It's taken me this long to realize that Sakura is the most important person in my life! I will not let her lose the most important person in hers!"

After years of waiting, Sakura had finally heard the words she most wanted to hear from this young man she longed for and she couldn't even feel any joy, not after her heart had already been torn from her chest. Sasuke said that he loved her and she couldn't even be happy. A part of her actually felt mad at him. How could he say such a thing at a time like this? Did he think it would make her feel any better? She turned her head away from him and buried her face into Naruto's shoulder, sobbing loudly. As he stroked her hair gently, his eyes, as well as those of Gaara and Temari were silently fixed on Sasuke. They were all startled and impressed by his conviction, even if he was fighting a hopeless battle.

Sasuke knew that everyone was watching him, waiting to see what he would do next, but he couldn't hold back his emotions and keep a cool face like he used to. He felt completely and utterly powerless, just like he had after Itachi slaughtered their parents years ago. Only this time he had nobody he could get mad at, nobody he could seek revenge on in order to free himself from his white-hot rage. It was cruel fate that had stolen Sakura's son before she could ever hold him.

Without a word he stood up, his chest rising and falling as he sucked in loud, ragged breaths through clenched teeth. In his left hand, he clutched Gaara's cloak, which still enwrapped the tiny boy. As his right hand curled into a tight fist, the air around him began to chirp and crackle. It was the sound of the chidori. Electricity gathered around him, stirring the grass, and, as Sakura continued to drench Naruto's jacket with her tears, the others kept their eyes on Sasuke, unsure of what he would do. Then, with a primal and frustrated scream, he fell to his knees and pounded his charged fist into the ground, sending a shower of sparks into the air all around him.

The earsplitting sound that ensued even drowned out Sakura's sobs. It was crackling and exploding at once, with a shrill ringing backdrop that wouldn't die down even after blast had settled. It was the cry of an infant. Sasuke blinked in confusion several times then looked down at the bundle in his left arm. The little guy's skin had pinked up and his mouth was opened wide, revealing soft pink gums as he wailed.

"He's alive," the Uchiha breathed. Then he said it again loudly and excitedly. "He's alive! Sakura's baby is alive! The electricity from the chidori must have shocked him back to life!"

"Alive?" Sakura asked in a trembling voice, lifting her head to see her son.

Sasuke smiled at her tenderly, then walked over and placed the crying infant in her waiting arms. "Here's your mommy, little guy," he said softly.

The baby stopped crying as soon as he was nestled in his mother's arms, and everyone else gathered close to get a good look at him. Sakura unwrapped him for a moment just so she could look at every inch of him. He had ten perfect fingers and ten perfect toes. And he was definitely a boy. She wrapped him back up snuggly. He opened his eyes. They were almond shaped, like Sakura's, but rimmed with long thick lashes and as black as two pools of India ink. Genetics had been merciful: although his eyebrows were dark and slightly thicker than average, they were still well within the range of normal. His head was topped with the softest jet-black fluff to which Sakura pressed a kiss that was pure love.

"He's gorgeous," Temari gasped.

"You sound surprised," her brother responded. "Did you not expect Haruno Sakura's child to be beautiful?"

"No, no… Of course I knew he'd be beautiful," she chirped back, wiping tears from her eyes with her hand. Everyone's tears of sorrow had transformed into tears of joy.

"I… I think I know this guy," Sakura said softly, as she stroked her son's velvety pink cheek.

Naruto furrowed his brows. "Well he did live inside of you for almost nine months," he said. "I think that counts as knowing him."

"I know," Sakura sighed blissfully. "But it's more than just that. He reminds me of someone… a boy I've dreamed about. Maybe it's just because this little guy saved my life today… but I think he might be my guardian angel. My Prince of Flowers…"

Because she was so busy cooing over the baby, Sakura didn't notice that her words had caused Naruto to scowl severely. She didn't even hear him grumbling to himself. "That was me and Sasuke! The little runt is already getting credit for stuff we did!"

With a light chuckle, Sasuke placed a hand on his disgruntled friend's shoulder. "Let him have it, Naruto," he whispered. "He's going to be the number one man in Sakura's life from now on anyways."

It took a moment, but Naruto's expression turned from sour to gentle. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he sighed. "Heh, he does kind of look like you, Sasuke."

"I think he looks more like Lee," Sasuke said skeptically. "But he's got a lot of Sakura in him, too. How else could he have come out so cute?"

"Yeah, Junior Brows is damn cute," Naruto agreed. "Who could have predicted that Sakura sleeping with Fuzzy Brows would produce something so adorable?"

"Oh, stop it you guys," Sakura said lightly. "Lee was actually pretty cute, I think. Don't be so hard on him."

"I hate to spoil a tender moment between you all," Gaara coldly interrupted. "But I believe we should get these two back to their home. Temari, would you go on ahead to Konoha and tell the Hokage to have a bed ready at the hospital?" His sister nodded then flew away.

"But we don't have a stretcher or anything," Naruto argued. "I don't think Sakura is strong enough to walk home."

"I will carry her," Sasuke answered.

The new mother looked up at him. "Won't your arms get tired?" she asked.

He stooped down and hoisted her up into his strong arms as she held onto her child tightly. "Not at all," he said softly.

Snuggled in the arms of the man she adored, holding her brand new baby, Sakura had never felt happier or safer in her entire life. The baby had loaned her his unique chakra and saved her life, and Sasuke had saved his life, even if it was completely by accident. It was a true miracle. And even though Rock Shin, who had been her friend, had lost his life today, he was with his family now. And he was probably very happy. Plus, a new bud on the Rock family tree had blossomed.

Sakura gazed up at a single white cloud in the pure blue sky, towards a distant unseen face, with wide eyes and enormous eyebrows, which she knew must be watching over her. _Look at him, Lee. Look at our beautiful son. You gave your life for me, and if you hadn't he'd never have been born. Just as you promised to protect me with your life, I promise to protect this precious little boy with mine. And if I have to die for him, as you died for me, I will gladly do so._

The sun was already starting to dip below the horizon when the little group of four teenagers and one infant arrived at the main entrance to Konoha's city. Apparently, when Temari showed up to announce their arrival the word had spread quickly. A small crowd of friends and well-wishers had gathered to greet them and were whispering curiously amongst themselves.

"I can't believe Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura finally came home."

"I know. They've been gone for so long."

"Is that Suna's Kazekage with them? What is he doing here?"

"That guy scares me."

"What's going on? I just got here."

"I'm not sure, but I think Team 7 had a baby."

The girl in Sasuke's arms was completely oblivious to the commotion, as was her baby. By the time they had reached Konoha, both mother and son were fast asleep.

To be concluded…


	23. Chapter 23

Sakura and the Prince of Flowers  
By Miss Angel Maxwell

Final Free Talk: It's almost hard for me to believe, but we have at last reached the end of SakuPuri (my own lame abbreviation for this story… because SPF sounded too much like sunscreen). Those of you who have this story on update alert can take it off, though I hope some of you enjoyed it enough to now add it to your favorites list (big hopeful eyes). Please don't interpret this as begging, but I would really love it if you left a comment. This is my first completed fanfiction ever (though I started my X fic earlier) and I really want to know what people thought about it. What parts did you like? What parts did you not like? Stylistically, is there anything you think I did well? Any areas where I need improvement? Constructive criticism is okay. I am new and it's the only way I'll learn. Other than that, I must say that writing this story has been a wonderful experience and I do hope to write another Naruto fanfiction. I just don't have any ideas right now… If anyone out there does and feels like sharing, please go ahead! Thank you so much for reading SakuPuri! And tell your friends if you think they'd like it too! (Specific thanks are at the end… may not be important to the reader, but very important to the writer).

All of My Love, Miss A.M.

**Final Chapter: "Junior Brows Still Needs A Name"**

_That smell… So beautiful… What is it?_

The sweet scent of flowers filled Sakura's nostrils, even as she was still wrapped up in darkness. As her eyes slowly opened, she found herself tucked into a bed in Konoha Hospital, surrounded on all sides by warm yellow sunlight. The source of the smell was large bouquet of pink flowers in a white vase that was placed on the bedside table.

"The flowers are from Ino," a familiar voice said.

"Sasuke," she breathed with a gentle smile. "You stayed by my side?"

He smiled back from his seat next to her bed. "Not the entire time," he admitted. "You've been out for nearly two days. But I'm glad that I'm here with you when you're waking up."

"Two days?" she uttered. Any residual sleepiness had finally worn off from the young woman and she remembered clearly everything that happened the last time she was awake. "The baby?" she asked, sounding slightly scared. "Is he…?"

"He's fine," Sasuke said. "Tsunade checked him out and he's a perfectly healthy baby boy. You weren't awake to feed him though, so he had to be given some formula."

"Where is he?" she asked, sitting up in bed eagerly. "I want to go see him."

"He's in the room next door," he answered. "Tsunade said you would probably need to sleep for a long time in order to fully recover, so she didn't want his crying to wake you up. He's in good hands though. Naruto is in there with him."

"Naruto?" she said nervously.

The Uchiha grinned slightly. "Don't worry about it," he said. "He's actually shown himself to be surprisingly gentle. And he really has taken a shine to the little guy. Here, I'll get your robe and we'll go over, and you'll see for yourself."

As she got out of bed and on her feet, Sakura discovered that her legs were a bit wobbly, though now it was probably because she had been in bed for so long and not from lack of strength. Sasuke had to hold her steady as he helped her into her bathrobe, but by the time the sash was tied and she had slid her slippers on she was feeling much sturdier. Still, Sasuke held onto her hand tightly as they walked out into the hospital hallway and it made her chest feel warm. When they got to the door of the room next to hers, they could hear voices from inside, and not just Naruto's.

"He's making a funny face. I think he's going to start crying."

"That's probably because your giant white hair is scaring him."

"I think it's more likely that he's upset over having to wear the stupid gift you gave him. A tiny green sleeper and fluffy bright orange booties… What kind of an outfit it that for an infant? It looks dumb enough on an adult."

"Babies don't care about that sort of thing. Besides, he looks adorable in that outfit."

"Just keep in mind that he's Lee's son, not Lee himself."

Peeking her head inside the door, Sakura confirmed what she had already suspected. The voices belonged to Hatake Kakashi and his self-proclaimed rival, Maito Gai, who were both looming over a wicker bassinet. There were others in the room too. Naruto, Gaara, Ino, Hinata, and Temari, who had apparently dragged Shikamaru along with her, had all gathered in the little room and Sakura wasn't sure she was ready to face such a big group yet. She wanted to see her child so badly, though. His beautiful little face was already etched in her mind.

When the two oldest shinobi became so wrapped up in their quibbling that they didn't notice that her baby actually had started to cry, nervous or not, she couldn't stand on the sidelines any longer. She was about to dash over to her son and reprimand the two foolish men, when a stoic figure beat her to it, silently squeezing between Kakashi and Gai and scooping up the baby. The tiny boy calmed down as soon as Gaara picked him up, and the two older shinobi were suddenly quiet as well, in complete awe at the Kazekage's gentleness.

"You both are frightening him," the redhead said coldly. The baby stared at him peacefully.

Gai snorted. "How come the little guy is all sweet and quiet for him? That young man could scare the fleas off a dog! And he has none of my natural charm and grace! It isn't fair!"

The frustrated ninja continued to growl until a sweet giggle interrupted him. "Don't feel jealous," Sakura said, as she fully emerged into the room with Sasuke at her side. "He and Gaara go way back."

"That doesn't even make sense," Lee's former teacher stammered.

"No, it's true," Sakura replied, heading straight to the redhead with the baby in his arms. "Gaara talked to him every day when he was in my belly. The little guy must recognize his voice. Plus, Gaara is the one who delivered him."

"I think he still likes his mother the best," Gaara said. Then he transferred the child gently over to her eagerly waiting arms.

"My sweet little poppet!" she cooed as she snuggled him against her cheek. "You love your Uncle Gaara, don't you? Oh, my little angel boy!"

As she twirled around, rocking her baby in her arms, Sakura seemed absolutely oblivious to her friends and teammates who were gathered in the hospital room. Actually, she was well aware of their presence and the fact that they were all staring at her as if she was crazy, she simply didn't care. It was the first time she had held him since the day he came out of her body, purple and lifeless until Sasuke's chidori had somehow sparked life back into his body. It still felt like a miracle just to have him in her arms.

"Eh… Poppet?" Ino said, raising an eyebrow. "This is a side of you I've never seen, Sakura. So I take it you're feeling pretty good now after all of that sleep?"

"Wonderful," Sakura replied, keeping her eyes on her son rather than her friend. "But how could I not feel wonderful when I've got this little guy in my arms?"

"He certainly is a cutie pie," Ino said, looking over Sakura's shoulder at him. "Definitely way too cute to be Lee's. Are you sure Sasuke isn't really his daddy? You can tell me the truth."

The young mother rolled her eyes and took a step back from the platinum blonde. "You're worse than Temari," she said exasperatedly. "No, I am one hundred percent sure that Lee is his father. That's the truth, so you'll just have to deal with it."

Noticing that his lovely teammate seemed a bit overwhelmed by all of her son's visitors, Naruto felt a bit guilty. "Err… Sorry about the crowd, Sakura," he said a bit quietly. "Everyone really wanted to see the baby."

"Don't worry about it," she reassured. Even if she did feel a little uncomfortable, there was no reason to let Naruto feel bad.

Hinata had been typically quiet the entire time, standing to the side and tenting her fingers, but now she finally spoke up. "You… you really do look so happy Sakura… He… he's really a sweet… cute baby…"

"Aw, you'll have really cute babies someday too, Hinata," Naruto said nonchalantly. "I'm sure of it." Then he beamed a wide grin at the shy, dark-haired kunoichi and she turned bright red.

Shikamaru, who was sitting on the bed next to Temari, rolled his eyes. "What is it about babies that makes women act insane?" he sighed.

His girlfriend let out a short laugh. "Heh! It's not just women who're afflicted," she said. "Check out pretty boy Uchiha."

Sure enough, Sasuke was sidled up next to Sakura and dancing a plush kitty cat in front of the tot's face. He was a completely different person than anyone had seen before, as if aliens had replaced their gruff, antisocial Sasuke with a sweet and sensitive look-alike.

Young Mr. Nara chuckled and shook his head. "Oh how the mighty have fallen. Babe, if I ever act all sappy like that around our kids I want you to smack me upside the head."

"Our kids?" Temari asked curiously. "So you see kids in our future?"

Suddenly realizing that he had said too much, Shikamaru crossed his arms and sank uncomfortably low in his seat, wishing he could somehow vanish. "Not for a long time," he said, carefully avoiding eye contact. "I mean… having some kids wouldn't be so bad…"

Temari smirked, but decided not to needle her poor lover any more on the issue by asking him how many kids he wanted and what he would call them. Instead she directed her attention towards Sakura. "So did you dream up a good name for the little guy while you were asleep?" she asked.

"That's right," Naruto chimed in. "Junior Brows still needs a name."

A pair of pale green eyes looked up, taking in the inquisitive faces of her friends. She had actually decided his name just a few minutes after he was first placed in her arms, but she hadn't shared it with anybody yet. "His name is Shin," she said. "After Lee's grandfather. Haruno Shin. I think it suits him."

Smiles and nods were exchanged all around. "Shin is a really good name for him," Hinata said sweetly. Temari gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

There was quiet for a few minutes then Shikamaru got up with a sigh. "We came, we saw the kid, we heard his name… I'm going home. You coming, Babe? Babe? Temari?"

"Don't get your panties in a bunch, Bambi," the Sand girl retorted. "Go on home and I'll join you in a few." She got up and gave Sakura a hug then kissed little Shin on his downy black hair. "Well, I guess I better go and take care of _my_ big baby. I'm sure I'll see you guys again really soon, though. Bye Pinky. Bye Peanut."

"Hinata, I think maybe we should go, too," Ino said. "Let's give them some private time."

"O-okay…" the shy girl stuttered. "Thank you for letting us come see the baby. And it… it's really nice to have you all back… Sakura, Sasuke…" Her face turned red again. "…Naruto…"

After Shikamaru and Temari, and Ino and Hinata had exited the room, Gai and Kakashi decided they should probably do the same. "I guess everyone is leaving, so we better follow suit," the masked, white-haired man said. "I have to admit, this still feels weird. The pretty young girl I taught ninjutsu to having a baby of her own is strange enough by itself. But the fact that it's with _his_ oddball student…" Gai lowered his massive eyebrows angrily. "I'm just saying it's unexpected," Kakashi continued. "In any case, I am happy for you, Sakura. And I am very pleased to have all three of my students back in Konoha. Come on, Gai. Let's go."

"I don't think you need me to tell you that you have a very handsome child there," the big-browed ninja said. "And remember, that outfit stretches, so he can wear it even as he grows bigger."

"Eh… thanks," the mother said. "I'll keep that in mind."

Once the two men were out the door, Naruto went over to close it to get some privacy and was stopped by the sound of voices in the hallway, two of them, a boy and a girl.

"I want to see the baby," the girl said hesitantly. "I mean… it's _his_ son… But I dunno if I'm ready to face her. I'm afraid I might say something mean."

"Perhaps we should wait until another day then," said the boy. "Though I do not think you have anything to fear."

"But I heard he looks so much like Lee," the girl went on. "What if I see him and start crying and embarrass myself?"

"If anything, you will feel great happiness when you look upon him," the boy answered. "Because Lee was somebody that you loved."

The girl let out a sigh. "I don't think I'm up to it, Neji. Not today. Will you walk me home?"

"Of course I will," he answered. "Let us go."

It was around the time the hallway conversation ended when Sakura noticed that Naruto was still loitering around the door. "What are you doing over there?" she asked him. "Close the door and come over here. There's something I want to tell you."

"Me?" the blonde asked, complying with her instructions and coming over to the side of the bed where she had sat down with the baby.

"Yes," she answered. "Well, all three of you, really. You, Sasuke, and Gaara… and I wish Temari had stuck around too. But I guess she has more fun things to do." She looked down and stroked the infant's cheek. "I named this little boy Shin to honor Lee's grandpa, but there is still one more thing I feel I should do for the old man. As soon as Tsunade discharges me from the hospital, I want to go and spread his ashes in the field where he died and where his namesake was born. And I would like it if all of you would come with me. After all, we were probably the only ones who ever met him."

"I think that's a good plan," Naruto said. "Count me in."

"I would like to participate as well," Gaara intoned seriously. "I did not know the man well, but I could tell that he was wise and compassionate."

"He did so much for Sakura and Naruto and I," Sasuke added. "He really deserves a proper ending."

"Yes," Sakura agreed. "And maybe it will help us put all of this violence and suffering behind us. The Children of the Kyuubi will never bother anyone again. I believed the one that I killed when it told me it was the last of its kind. It makes me feel so relieved to know that my son will not live feeling that he is obligated to sacrifice his life because of his bloodline."

"Is that one of the reasons why you gave him your last name instead of Lee's" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Sakura answered. "But it's not the only reason. Lee and I weren't married… we never even dated… And who says a child can't take on his mother's name anyways? I think it's very progressive. Despite what Ino said, I don't think anyone will deny that he is Rock Lee's son."

"Especially when he's wearing that ridiculous getup," Naruto said. "But he doesn't have any other clothes yet."

Hearing this, Sakura felt an unexpected wave of cold panic sweep over her. "I… I don't have anything!" she gasped. "The few things I had already gotten for the baby I left in Suna! I'm not prepared at all! I'm a terrible mother!"

"Do not panic," the Kazekage said calmly. "The things you had collected in Suna have been sent here to Konoha."

"And we'll go get anything else you need," Naruto added helpfully. "We'll go right now! C'mon, Sasuke!"

The Uchiha looked around cautiously. He honestly didn't want to leave Sakura, and if Naruto and Gaara went out it would give him some time alone with her and the baby. Maybe he would finally get a chance to talk to her about their future. "Actually," he said. "I was thinking maybe I'd stay here with Sakura and…"

The young man was cut off mid-sentence, however, when the hospital room door swung open and a tall, full-figured blonde woman stepped inside. "Sakura, I just heard you had awoken," the Hokage said. "And of course the first thing you did was come and see your baby. Though you really should have told me you were up first."

"I'm sorry, Tsunade," the young woman replied.

"It's too late to worry about it now," the older woman replied. "Now I would like to talk to you about a few things regarding your health and your body as it recovers. And I would also like to walk you through breastfeeding. So Naruto, Sasuke, and the Kazekage can go home or find something else to do for a while. Go on, you can come back and see her later."

Sasuke sighed as Naruto herded him out the door. Once again, he would have to wait until another opportunity arose to talk to Sakura. But there was plenty of time. There would be another opportunity. Right now he could at least help her out by getting some of the essentials she would need, a task he knew Naruto would mess up if left to his own devices.

-

Unfortunately for Sasuke, his opportunity did not come as quickly as he had hoped. Sakura's time at the hospital was largely consumed by resting and fully regaining her strength and getting used to feeding and taking care of her new baby. Two days later, when Tsunade discharged her, she wanted to go spread old Shin's ashes as soon as possible. Sasuke wouldn't dare interfere with something that the woman he loved felt so passionately about.

A cool early March breeze whipped over the grass field, but there was a subtle hint of warmth in it, a promise of spring, as it touched the faces of the young shinobi who had gathered to pay their respects. Temari had been informed of the plan and joined her brother and the members of Team 7 in the large field about an hour outside of Konoha. Little Shin was asleep, snuggled in a red cloth sling hanging across Sakura's chest, so her hands were free to clutch the plain clay jar containing the remains of her friend.

"Rock Shin, we commit your ashes and your spirit to the wind," she said. Then she gently removed the jar's lid and tipped its contents out into the air. The breeze quickly picked up the dust and swirled it up and around in circles and out of sight. "Goodbye," she whispered. "And thank you."

"He is with Lee and his other deceased family members now," Gaara reassured.

Naruto nodded, His hand was buried in one of the pockets of his black and orange jacket, searching for something. "There it is," he declared as he pulled out a tiny scrap of old paper.

"What's that?" Sakura asked.

"Just something I want to put behind me," he said. Then he turned and gave Sasuke a knowing smile and released the last relic he had of that day long ago.

"I have something, too," Sasuke said, taking a small red book out of his backpack. When he opened up the field guide to retrieve the flower pressed between its pages, something else fell out and almost flew away, but he caught it just in time. He looked at the little scrap in his hand. It was a piece of parchment almost identical to Naruto's 'don't let Sasuke beat you' message, but on this one was written a single word. 'Sakura.' Sasuke felt his face grow warm. This was what he had written for himself to remember, almost fourteen years ago. He didn't need it anymore. He would never forget. The note and the flower were both carried away in the wind.

"I guess that's it," Sakura sighed. "We can all head home now."

"Yes," Gaara agreed. "I should prepare to return to Suna. Will you be coming with me, sister?"

"Naw, I think I'll stay in Konoha for a bit longer," she said. "Spend some quality time with the boyfriend, help Pinky if she needs it… But you go ahead. You should probably get back home before Kankurou leads our country into ruin."

As she walked back towards Konoha with her friends, Sakura had a feeling of closure in her heart. She had put this part of her life behind her. But there was also a feeling of anxiety. She still hadn't turned eighteen yet, and she had a newborn to take care of. What would life be like from now on? And would she still be able to be an active shinobi as well as a mother? In the middle of all of her worrying, Sasuke came up alongside her, so close that his shoulder was touching hers. Her heartbeat strengthened.

"Sakura, I've been thinking," he said, with a barely detectable hint of shyness in his voice. "Your parents are still out seeing the world, so it's just you at home now. With a baby that would not only be lonely, but also difficult. I think you should come and stay with me. You and little Shin should. I have plenty of extra room."

The girl's cheeks glowed. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I wouldn't be a burden? I mean… babies do cry a lot and make messes… You were never the type to tolerate that kind of thing, Sasuke."

"I think I could learn to live with it," he replied. "After all, men have been adapting to the role of 'father' for thousands of years. Come on, let's go home, Sakura."

They could hear Naruto teasing Temari as he ran along somewhere ahead of them. Despite the cheerful attitude he adopted, Sasuke knew that it would take time before his friend really got over his love for Sakura. But Naruto was resilient and Sasuke would never disappoint him by making Sakura cry.

Sakura was once again thinking about what Lee had said about endings, but now her feelings about them were different. Endings did matter. Endings allowed for new beginnings, such as this one. Sasuke's fingers silently meshed with Sakura's and they walked back to Konoha hand-in-hand, their son sleeping the entire way.

Sasuke hadn't read the pages in his field guide that had preserved both his note and a single blossom. On these pages was an entry describing a rare variety of small flower that blooms only once every fourteen years. Perhaps if he had read it, he would have looked down and noticed the vast bed of tiny green buds that covered the field they had just visited.

The End 

Thanks: I have to give credit where credit is due. The characters and the universe they inhabit were created by Masashi Kishimoto. I just made up this story about them.

I have to thank my best friend Al because she was the one who I bounced all my ideas for this story off of. If it weren't for my discussions with her, this would have turned out to be a very different story. And if it weren't for her encouragement I might never have completed the story or even posted it at all. I actually have promised to make her a soundtrack for this story as a thank-you gift, so I'd better start collecting some good songs.

Thanks also go out to my favorite fanfiction author of all time, Kristen Elizabeth. My first foray into the world of fanfiction was drawing illustrations for her stories. Her fanfiction is what inspired me to try writing fanfiction of my own. Go read her stories. You won't be disappointed!

And, of course, thanks to everyone who read this story and gave it a chance! Until the next story…


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